Future Memories
by FatefulGravy
Summary: A message from the future gives two people new goals, as they learn that no matter how much you try, not everyone can be saved.
1. Prolouge: Remembrance

Future Memories

A Naruto fanfiction by FatefulGravy

**Prologue**

Remembrance

It was an exam, a written exam actually. The first part of the chuunin exam to be exact, and Hinata was fairly confident, she had been able to cheat easily of course, Kami bless bloodline limits.

Her confidence was far more internal than external however. On the outside she seemed shy, nervous and worried. Poking her index fingers together gave a timid withdrawn look. If she was honest she was worried, not for herself, she saw that the point of the exam was to cheat, no she was worried for the boy to her left. He had missed the point entirely and had never studied particularly hard so he was unable to answer any questions. Naruto sure was dense.

Hinata sneaked a look at his paper, while looking forwards, Byakugan's near 360 degree vision was exceptionally useful for things like spying and fighting. Naruto had a blank paper, while she had been able to answer all the questions, perhaps she could let him copy? She glanced at him, directly rather than through Byakugan vision, he looked rather stressed, but would he accept her help? Her answers were right, she was sure, if he copied he would be able to pass! That and he might actually notice her for once. She peaked at him again, his face was screwed up in a grimace, dripping-

-_blood. He lay a top the Hokage tower, surrounded by bodies, death, destruction. His eyes, once filled with boundless energy, were dead, faded, blank. His body bleeding as she knelt next to-_

What the hell? Hinata sat up straight, what was that? A vision of the future, her imagination, a memory what? Naruto jerked next to her, bolt upright, his eyes-

-_started to glow red, the demon rising to the surface. His head turned to the girl next him, his lips moved, a silent gasp of surprise from the girl, a nod. Eyes glowing brighter, a red haze gathering around them to-_

Hinata grabbed her head, the visions coming to fast. She was half aware of Naruto doing the same next to her, before she was overwhelmed, images flashing past her eyes, seeing her life in reverse.

Death.

Battle.

Fear.

Sorrow.

Betrayal.

Victory.

Defeat.

Success.

Loss.

Love.

Despair.

A barrage of images, feelings, people she had never met that she now knew intimately, skills she had never dreamed of that she now knew how to perform, secrets she should never had known she was now burdened with. A torrent of memories swirling and crashing through her mind, friends lost, enemies gained. A mission, a goal, something to stop, something to save, a time to start.

She looked at Naruto. Naruto looked at her. He understood, she accepted, they remembered.

* * *

A/N Revised (1/10/06) 


	2. Chapter 1: How to Change the World

Future Memories

A Naruto fanfiction by FatefulGravy

Previously: Hinata and Naruto received the memories of their future selves, along with a new goal.

* * *

**Chapter 1**

How to Change the World

Anyone familiar with Naruto would have been surprised at the thoughts going through his head, for once he was _not _thinking of ramen, or devising a particularly nasty prank. Nor was he thinking about kicking the crap out of Sasuke, or even about how Kami in his infinite wisdom developed the wonderful colour orange. He had even forgotten the exam. His mind was focused on one thing and one thing only.

_'How to change the world?'_

_**'Don't know about you brat but I can change the world just by being there.'**_

_'Kyuubi?'_

_**'The one and only.'**_

"Listen up brats, its time for the tenth and final question." Morino Ibiki, Jounin and master interrogator, announced too the awaiting room, including a distracted Naruto and Hinata.

_'What did you do to me...us...all three of us. I remember fighting, then using your chakra, but after that everything's a mess.'_

_**'I should have known I would have to explain to you. Why can't you just remember brat, I bet lavender does.'**_

_'Lavender?' _Naruto raised an eyebrow, damn demon deliberately tried to confuse him.

_**'I have no need to name you insects, your lives are too short and your minds to small, I refer to you by smell. Lavender is the one to your right.'**_

_'Right...Anyway, you were going to explain.' _He'd never noticed Hinata's smell before, but now he concentrated it was there, he'd have to get used to the demons way of referring too people.

_**'Grr...Alright, listen up I'll only explain once. Humans, such as yourself, live in three dimensions, what you see as the visible world. Demons, such as myself, live in three dimensions as well but have access to the fourth, time.'**_

"But first, you have too decide whether or not to take the tenth question, if you don't take it you will fail, however, if you do take it and get it wrong you will remain a genin...forever." Ibiki continued his big announcement, Naruto was oblivious, talking to his inner demon, while Hinata had her own problems.

* * *

Hinata was trying to concentrate on the examiners instructions, but was distracted by what she could only describe as another presence in her mind. Somewhat similar to when Ino had practiced her partial possession jutsu on her, but the presence was much more familiar. Like it belonged, but was incomplete somehow. She felt somewhat disturbed by this new feeling, but guessed it was part of what Kyuubi had done, and continued trying to concentrate to Ibiki.

* * *

_'You can travel through time!'_

_**'What! No, of course not, I said we have access to the fourth dimension, we ourselves can not travel the flow of time. We can however, send memories backwards through time to our past selves. That is what I, or rather my future self, did. He transferred memories to me and I transferred them too you.'**_

_'I understand, sort of, but why did you send memories to Hinata as well?'_

_'**Do you really think I'd entrust the future to you alone brat, you can't change the world alone.'**_

_'But why Hinata?'_

_'Fox?'_

_**'She was the only one left...alive.'**_

Several groups of genin left the room, Ibiki gained a sadistic smile, which dropped when he saw Naruto with half closed eyes, and Hinata with her head on the table.

"Trapped as a genin for the rest of your life, never reaching higher ranks, never gaining respect, never being acknowledged!"

_'WHAT, if you remember that and you gave the memories to me, why don't I remember?'_

_**'There are some things brat, that you would be better off not knowing' , **_Kyuubi's tone was biting, even in Naruto's head he could feel the irritation coming off the fox, he did not like explaining himself to mortals. **_'If you must know the circumstances of your death you can ask Lavender, she is not my host so I cant control the memories she receives.'_**

Ibiki was dumbstruck, he expected that to get a reaction from Naruto, Kami knows the boy craved acknowledgment, ah well, looks like no one else was going to leave.

"Those of you that remain...pass!"

_'Does she have my future memories or hers?' _Naruto didn't want Hinata remembering the more, painful, aspects of his life.

_'**A strangely intelligent question brat, no she does not have your memories, she has her own. Now leave me alone.'**_

"Naruto, NARUTO! Wake up idiot we're leaving!"

"Huh, you say something Sakura-chan?" Sakura clenched her fist glared at Naruto, making him to shuffle away, fearing for his safety.

"Naruto! Stop acting like Kakashi-sensei, one tardy pervert is more than enough for this team."

Naruto's eyes widened at the unfair (from his point of view) comparison.

"Hey I'm nothing like Kaka-" WHACK. Sakura's fist pounded down on his head, causing him to see several chibi-Kyuubi spin round his head.

"I don't care what you think idiot, hurry up and lets go! Sasuke-kun has gone without me!" Naruto's pink haired teammate suddenly spun and stormed off, leaving a bewildered Naruto still watching the chibi-Kyuubi. Clearing his head he realised he was all alone.

"What, huh, ahh! Hey wait for me!"

* * *

As the remaining teams left, following Anko, Ibiki collected the papers. Reaching Naruto's he grew a sweat drop. 

'_The brat had the nerve to not react at all to the tenth question AND he didn't answer a single question on the paper, sigh, I need to practice my intimidation techniques.'_

* * *

Hinata followed her team towards the site of the second exam. To be honest, her mind was on other things (memories from the future, odd presence in her mind, really bad headache she was developing), so she had managed to tune out Kiba's bragging. 

_'I need to talk to Naruto-kun.'_

"Hinata-chan."

_'He'll know what to do.'_

"Hinata"

_'Where is he...there!'_

"HINATA"

"Gah! Y..yes K..Kiba-kun?"

"You OK, you've been out of it since the first exam." Kiba seemed concerned, Hinata gave a small smile, she wasn't used to people being concerned over her. Now, however wasn't a good time.

"I...I am f..fine Kiba-kun, but um..I need to s..speak with N..Naruto-kun, I'll be b..back s..soon."

Hinata quickly turned and ran off in the direction she had last seen Naruto, leaving behind a bemused Kiba and a expressionless Shino.

"Huh..Why does she need to see that Naruto idiot?" Kiba was confused. Hinata never ran off, even if she was upset she had always turned to her teammates in the past.

"Her behavior does not conform to usual standards, something must have happened." The bug user was, as always, logical.

* * *

Naruto smelt Hinata coming, it seemed that once Kyuubi had explained how he identified people Naruto had started to do the same. Sakura smelt of blossom in the wind while Sasuke had a musky smell that Naruto couldn't tie down to any one thing. For now he needed a distraction so he could talk to Hinata alone. 

"Why don't you two go get the scroll."

"Get it yourself dobe." Sasuke seemed to be attacking Naruto more than usual since he found that the dead-last had passed the first test without answering a question. Naruto didn't know why he felt outdone, he hadn't answered the questions because he couldn't, not because he'd seen underneath the underneath or anything. Quick, Hinata was getting closer.

"Well I figured you wouldn't trust me with something so important, and Sakura-chan just follows you wherever you go."

SMACK, the chibi-Kyuubi were back, dancing this time.

"Hey! What I do!" Naruto shouted, shaking his head. He was surprised that gaining an in depth knowledge of the future had not affected his personality in the least, you'd of thought that seeing years of death and destruction would make some difference.

"Idiot! I'd only go with Sasuke-kun so I wouldn't have to stay with you!" She turned to follow Sasuke, who was already heading towards the scroll tent.

_'Ouch, but still, it served its purpose.'_

"Well off you two go then I'll wait here, have fun, think of it has a date!" He yelled after his retreating companions.

He barley ducked Sasuke's thrown kunai.

* * *

Hinata saw Naruto get rid of his teammates, and then dodge the incoming weapon. She decided that now would be a good time to talk too him. 

"N..Naruto-kun."

"Ne, Hinata-chan! Any ideas on how to change the World!"

Hinata felt a blush rising at being called Hinata-chan, but the other presence in her mind grew larger for a second and pushed the blush down. She blinked in surprise.

"Um..N..Naruto-kun how did t..this h..happen."

"Ne, Hinata-chan, you, you know about Kyuubi right, I mean, um..from your future selves memories right."

She nodded, and poked her index fingers together. Naruto had told everyone about Kyuubi in the future, and they had taken it well. No one better to counter the demon than Naruto, Neji had said.

"Um..Naruto-kun, my future s..self accepted you a..and I, I do t..to. I don't hate y..you Naruto-kun."

Naruto was relived, everyone else who knew, well except Iruka-sensei, and the Old Man Hokage, and Kakashi-sensei he supposed, hated him because of Kyuubi. At least Hinata didn't, but then again, she hadn't in the future. Naruto's future and current memories seemed to be in two different places.

"Thanks, Hinata-chan, its unusual for someone to be so nice to me." Hinata smiled, and felt another blush get pushed down.

"W...What are we g..going to do about the f..future Naruto-kun." That was indeed the big question, how do two people change the world?

"I don't think we can do anything right now Hinata-chan," he pondered, "and I don't think we can do it alone, which means telling someone. Someone we can trust, and someone we can prove this to as well."

"W...who can we trust N...Naruto-kun, and w..who would b..believe us?"

Honestly Naruto had no idea who, it was Kyuubi who came up with the idea, and the means to get his attention.

"Jiraiya-sensei," Naruto relayed Kyuubi's suggestion, "He'll listen, once he stops being a pervert for a second," he grumbled.

Sakura and Sasuke were returning from the tent.

"I'll speak to you at the preliminaries Hinata-chan," Naruto told the girl, "I've got to go. Good luck, be safe."

Hinata smiled and turned back to her team, who had also gotten a scroll. As she walked over she felt the presence in her mind grow stronger than before. Her eyes widened as she heard a girls voice whisper in her head.

_'You have to control yourself better than that, Hinata-chan.'_

* * *

A/N Revised (1/10/06)

* * *


	3. Chapter 2: Integration

Future Memories

A Naruto fanfiction by FatefulGravy

Previously: Naruto received an explanation from Kyuubi and Hinata's teammates noticed a change in her behavior.

* * *

**Chapter 2**

Integration

_'Naruto's different'. _It was midday of their second day in the Forest of Death, and Sakura had noticed a distinct change in Naruto's attitude. They had yet to collect any scrolls, indeed, they had yet to meet another team at all. But Sakura, strangely, was more focused on her blond haired teammate than the current lack of the scroll they required. She seemed worried.

_'He hasn't spoken all day, I hope he's okay, wouldn't want him to cause Sasuke-kun to fail!' _

Then again, she all ways had a somewhat one track mind.

* * *

Naruto's silence was due to him being deep in thought. True, the day before he had received the memories of his future self, but they had been little more than flashes. Images without any real significance. They had been in a different place than his current memories, the two sets having no relation to each other. He had, in effect, been shown how time would play out, but he had not experienced it. That however, had changed as he slept. Sleep, apparently, was a the catalyst required for his future memories to fully integrate with the present day Naruto.

As he slept, the images grew. As if a haze was lifting what was once a vague series of events became a complex network of memories, each one branching to several more. The images became moving pictures, he heard peoples voices, recalled their joy, their fear. As he slept, Naruto felt the emotion of each memory, clear as the day it occurred. The two separate sets of memories meshed together to become one cohesive set, one leading into the other. When he awoke, he felt as if he had actually lived though the coming years. This was the reason for his silence.

_'Hey fox'._

_**'Brat', **_Kyuubi answered the call grumpily.

_'What was going on last night', _Naruto asked.

_**'I believe it was a side effect of the memory transfer'.**_

_'You 'believe', you mean it didn't happen to you too?'_

_**'No, as a demon my personality will not change significantly over such a short period of time, you however, are changed by each and every event in your life. Therefore, going through each memory you received in detail while you slept allows your future personality to integrate with you current one'.**_

Naruto was surprised that he understood the big words, he figured he must have learned them in the future.

_'So I'm going to act different?'_

_**'Any changes would be minimal at best, the future you is remarkably similar to the present you'.**_

_'Thats good, I don't want to be forced to be like I will be, uh, yet, at least'._

_**'Idiot'.**_

_'Shut it foxy,' _he snapped, '_anyway, why do you remember the future me but I don't, you'd think I would remember myself'._

The great red fox gave a shrug, the insect was asking questions again, lots of questions. He was hoping to avoid the issue of missing memories entirely, he'd have to wrap this up before Naruto's curiosity forced the great kitsune into a corner. He hated having things forced out of him, though few beings had the guts to try.

_**'Grr...You memories tend to focus more on what you see and feel and less on how you yourself acts, therefore I remember you very well, but you don't, got it'.**_

_'Er.. yeah, but what about...'_

_**'NOT now, I'm tired and you have a decision to make regarding the musky one'.**_

_'Huh, oh, Sasuke, right.'_

* * *

Far across the forest Hinata's team were also noticing changes in her. She too had experienced the enhanced memories the previous night, however, it appeared that her future personality was totally incompatible with her current self. The presence in her mind that had talked to her earlier had actually been an image of her future self, and as Hinata experienced the memories this future self grew in strength. The result was two distinct personalities which Hinata seemed to switch between. Currently her future self was in control.

"Akamaru says that a mist team is nearby," Kiba informed his team.

"I see them, 250 meters to our rear," Hinata responded.

"You can see that far?" Kiba seemed surprised, they were a recon team but that seemed a bit out of Hinata's normal range.

"Are you questioning me?" She actually _glared_ at Kiba. A byakugun glare. Freaky.

"Um...no, just checking," Kiba backed away, Hinata was emitting a slight killing intent.

_'When did Hinata become so...scary.'_

Shino, who had been quite till now spoke up.

"They have the scroll we require, how should we go about attaining it?"

"We each take one each, if we are quick they wont be able to react," said Hinata, acting every bit the Hyuuga.

_'Hinata giving orders, very scary.' _Kiba's thoughts about how scary Hinata had become continued.

Several minutes later Team 8 was in the trees surrounding the mist team, awaiting Hinata's signal. Which turned out to be a very unsubtle kunai striking the ground in front of the mist team.

Kiba leaped into action, Akamaru following. His target was looking at the kunai and didn't see his approach from behind. Akamaru skidded to a stop in front of the mist ninja then jumped for the surprised ninjas throat. Being to skilled to be hit by such a simple attack the ninja jumped back-

-straight into Kiba's Tsuuga, the spinning attack knocking him across the clearing, unconscious.

"Good job boy, he never saw us coming!"

The victorious puppy gave a happy bark and took his place on Kiba's head.

Looking around Kiba saw that Shino had disabled his opponent with a swarm of chakra eating bugs while Hinata had taken her opponent out with accurate Jyuken strikes to the female mist ninjas arms and legs. She was actually still conscious, she just couldn't move.

_'Scary'._

"Got the scroll?" Kiba asked Shino.

"Yes, we should now head for the tower."

As they turned to go they were interrupted by a soft voice.

"Um...Kiba-kun, w...were are w...we?"

Kiba and Shino turned just in time to see her collapse.

* * *

As Team 8 began their attack Naruto was thinking over the Sasuke issue. Today Orochimaru would attack them and place the cursed seal on Sasuke. Naruto knew this and it wasn't what he was having problems with. Nor was it whether or not he actually _could _stop Orochimaru, he knew he was nowhere near that strength. No, Naruto's problem was that he was unsure if he _should _try andstop Orochimaru.

He needed to make a decision soon though, and the blasted fox wasn't helping, something about it being his decision alone. Needing a solution Naruto decided to list the things that would be better if Sasuke didn't get the cursed seal. However, despite thinking about it for several hours he could only come up with one benefit of him avoiding the seal. Sakura would be happier. That was it. Sakura would be happier if Sasuke didn't leave, and even that wasn't guaranteed. Naruto had no doubts that Sasuke would leave anyway once he believed he was not gaining power quick enough. What sense was there in delaying his inevitable betrayal?

The positives of Sasuke leaving scared Naruto. If Sasuke didn't leave Naruto and the others wouldn't go after him. Shikamaru wouldn't get that vital first command experience, Chouji, Neji and Kiba wouldn't push beyond their limits. If he didn't leave, Sakura would have no reason to get stronger. She would never apprentice under Tsunade and she would probably remain a genin for a very long time. It wasn't like Orochimaru would be getting the sharingan eyes anyway. Sasuke had killed him shortly before he himself died. Has much as it hurt Naruto to admit it, Konoha was better off without Sasuke.

And so was he. Without being able to constantly compare himself to Sasuke, the future Naruto had only had his sensei, Jiraiya, to compare himself to. And his desire to reach his teachers level and ultimately resulted in him becoming much stronger than if he had been trying to keep up with Sasuke. He doubted he would have learned how to tap into Kyuubi's power without Sasuke leaving.

He had to conclude, that Sasuke was more of a hindrance to Naruto and his friends than a benefit.

Decision made Naruto checked the position of the sun.

_'Almost time'._

His plan was remarkably simple. He would be knocked away by Orochimaru's attack, and unlike in his memories, he would not come back after defeating the snake. He would simply observe his team until he was required. Simple, nothing could go wrong.

* * *

Sasuke was on edge. The quiet made him nervous. Granted he wasn't a talkative one but there were some things in the world he felt you could count on, Naruto being noisy and annoying was one of them. This silent Naruto made him feel like something was wrong.

He was so hung up on thoughts over Naruto that he only noticed the highly destructive wave of _air _tearing _through the ground _at the last second, and was only able to grab Sakura and pull her to safety. When the wind died down he saw a huge trench in the ground, but no Naruto.

* * *

Team 8 had reached the tower, scrolls in hand, several hours ago. Hinata remained unconscious, which had the other two members worried. They had found her a bed, and were keeping watch, but so far there had been no change.

* * *

Hinata woke. The ground was hard under her, rocky, but oddly she didn't ache as she expected. Sleeping on such a hard surface should have left her sore. Opening her eyes she gasped, she was in the middle of a small rocky _island_. It was not, as she expected, surrounded by water. To her it looked like the dark purple sky went _under _her island as well. A floating island? Impossible. Where was she?

"Welcome...to the islands of your mind."

Hinata's head snapped around, the speaker was behind her.

"W...who are y...you?"

The speakers body faded out, Hinata could no longer see the ghostly body, but she could still sense its presence.

"Me?"

Behind her again! She spun quickly but only managed to catch several fading gray wisps.

"Why...I'm you."

Hinata spun around once more, and locked eyes with the speaker, white eyes, her eyes.

* * *

Naruto picked himself up and groaned. The blast had hurt more than he expected, but hey, at least he was separated from his team. He'd have to make his way back carefully, he didn't want them to notice him. He dusted himself off, something was tickling the back of his mind, something he really should remember, something about a really...big...SNAKE.

His last second insight allowed him to dodge becoming snake food by a matter of inches. Instead of being eaten, he saw the snakes head make splinters out of the branch he had been standing on, before it lifted it up and stared into Naruto's eyes. He briefly considered beating the snake as he remembered, but that would involve getting eaten and he _really _wasn't in the the mood. Besides, he had something he wanted to try out.

Forming a hand seal Naruto created five Kage Bunshin and had them surround the snake. While they distracted it with a variety of taijutsu moves Naruto used his chakra to anchor himself to a branch overhanging the snake.

_'Hey fur ball, I need some of your chakra to do this!'_

_**'Great, you have to show off even when there is no one around'.**_

_But this is a very efficient move, and besides I need the practice', _Naruto said smugly, proud he had come up with a counter argument.

_**'Gah, just this once then but you had better be able to do this on your own soon'.**_

_'Yeah yeah, thanks foxy', _he dissmissed the demons complaints.

Naruto started to gather swirling chakra in his right hand. The wisdom of trying attacks he'd only done in his memories and not in real life was lost on Naruto, but still, at least he actually knew how to do the attack. With the ball red chakra formed Naruto grinned, before gathering chakra to his legs a pushing off the branch and charging towards the snake below.

"Hey slimy! Take this! Rasengan!"

He caught the snake just as it looked up. The rasengan smashing into its nose, _drilling a perfect circle _into its face, before Naruto released the energy allowing it to exploded outwards, _shredding _the snakes flesh in a display of flying skin and bone. Naruto was sent spinning into a tree trunk, the bark cracking and splitting from the impact, before he collapsed to the ground, out cold. The snake, minus its lower jaw and much of the top, collapsed to the ground in a cloud of dust and blood before vanishing in a puff of smoke.

* * *

"Y...you are m...me?"

"Yes, or rather, who you will be. I am your future self, whose memories you received."

"Your, the pr...presence who, who spoke to me ear...earlier?" Hinata guessed.

"Quite right Hinata-chan!" was the perky response.

The person in front of Hinata only bore a passing resemblance to her. The white eyes marked her as a Hyuuga, and her hair colour was the same, but everything else was different. Her hair was short at the back and swept forward over her right eye. In place of Hinata's jacket she wore a Jounin flak jacket under which she wore a black fishnet shirt. Black, standard issue ninja trousers completed the outfit. She stood with her shoulder facing Hinata, a cocky grin on her face. She was, in every way possible, Hinata's antithesis.

"Through a series of events I'm sure you remember you changed from you into me and I, somehow ended up in you. I don't know if this is how the technique Kyuubi used is supposed to work like this and frankly I don't care, all that matters is that I am here now and I'm much more capable of doing what has to be done than you."

Future Hinata advanced as she spoke and ended up leaning towards Hinata, their faces inches apart.

"You lack both the confidence and the ability to change the way things will happen, so I, much like I did in the Forest of Death, will be taking control of this body, while you can stay here, out of the way, okay."

She spoke in a deceptively sweet voice, as if pretending she was actually giving Hinata a choice. Before turning and walking away.

"Perhaps I'll let you out sometime, or perhaps you'll be able to take control like I have, but the only way you'll do so is to...well that would be telling. See ya!"

"W...wait p...please."

_'I'm sorry Hinata-chan, please, forgive me, but you cant end up like me, I wont let you.'_

Future Hinata faded away, leaving Hinata alone on the floating island.

* * *

FatefulGravy's Jutsu Dictionary 

This section will give an explanation of a Jutsu when it is used for the first time. Just in case its one you haven't seen before.

**Tsuuga (Taijutsu)**

A technique used following the Juujin Bunshin (Beast Human Clone). The ninja spins violently at the opponent scratching and clawing as they go. Used by the ninja themselves and not in a team attack with their dog (Gatsuuga).

Used by: Inuzuka Kiba and other members of the Inuzuka clan.

**Kage Bunshin no Jutsu (Ninjutsu, Forbidden)**

Listed in Scroll of Seals. Creates clones similar to Bunshin no Jutsu, however these clones have a physical presence and can deal damage, however each clone can be dispelled by a single solid hit. The strength of the user is divided equally among the clones, making it hard to distinguish the original. Jounin level technique.

Used by: Uzumaki Naruto, Hatake Kakashi, and other high level ninjas.

**Rasengan (Ninjutsu)**

Chakra is continuously released from the palm of the ninjas hand into the form of a constantly spinning ball. The rasengan is a controlled ball of powerful chakra spinning in every direction, which can cause extreme internal damage to its target. Takes a great deal of control to use. Naruto can use Kyuubi's chakra to create the rasengan, resulting in a much more explosive jutsu.

Used by: Uzumaki Naruto, Jiraiya, Yondaime Hokage.

* * *

A/N Revised (2/10/06) 


	4. Chapter 3: Preconceptions

Future Memories

A Naruto fanfiction by FatefulGravy

Previously: Naruto splits from his team and tackles a giant snake. Hinata collapses and meets her future self. She is left trapped in her own mind while Naruto is unconscious after his battle.

**Chapter 3**

Preconceptions

Sakura stood guard. She'd been sitting there for hours, there was no one to take over for her after all. Sasuke lay behind her, sheltered under the roots of a large tree, he hadn't made a move since the battle, since that freaky Grass ninja had bitten him.

_'I couldn't do anything,I was too scared, I let Sasuke-kun down.'_

Sakura had been unable to move after suffering the effects of the Grass ninjas killer intent. She had only been able to watch as Sasuke stabbed himself to beak out of it, but then froze again before being smashed by that giant snake. He'd barley struggled back to his feet when the Grass ninja made his neck _stretch _out and bite Sasuke, leaving a strange mark behind. She'd just huddled in fear, she couldn't make herself move.

At least he was still alive though, he was breathing and he had a pulse, however erratic it was. Which was more than she could say for Naruto. Sakura hadn't seen the blond ninja since the initial attack on them. For all she knew, he could have been killed.

_'Am I really this weak? One teammate missing possibly dead, the other unconscious, and all I can do is sit here crying.'_

She stood up and turned to look at Sasuke behind her.

_'If I had been stronger, Sasuke would be okay, Naruto would still be here, they'd probably be arguing, we'd have both scrolls and would reach the tower in the morning, if only I was stronger.'_

Sakura walked over and knelt besides Sasuke, his face was clenched up in pain. She laid a hand on his forehead, it was warm, much to warm, did he have a fever? Or was it because of that mark?

"This is all my fault, Sasuke, Naruto, I will become stronger, more like you two, you always protected me, from now on, I'll protect you too. I promise."

_**'Wake up brat!'**_

_'Huh? What?'_

_**'WAKE UP BRAT!'**_

"Gah! What the...argh!"

THUMP

Naruto's surprised awakening sent him plummeting from the branch he rested on to the ground below, grumbling he picked himself up.

_'Stupid fox with his stupid loud voice making me fall off the stupid branch.'_

_**'Quit the moaning, it's night and you need to check on your team. The one that smells of blossoms wont be able to stop the sound ninjas on her own.'**_

_'Its not like I helped before, er..last time, whatever, anyway fuzzy eyebrows team will show up the Sasuke will go crazy and everything will be okay.'_

**_'You have already changed things from how you remember them, you were not involved in the fight with Orochimaru, therefore any number of things could be different. Blossom or the musky one could be injured or immobile, do not place too much trust in what you think is going to happen.'_**

_'Fine, I'm going I'm going.'_

Sakura had nearly fallen asleep when she heard someone approaching. Sitting up she came face to face with a group of three ninjas, forehead protector showing the sign for Sound.

_'They didn't even try to sneak up, they must think I'm weak too...They're probably right.'_

The one on the right, with black hair in a style similar to Kakashi's, took a few steps forward before giving her an amused look.

"Orochimaru-sama sent us here to kill Sasuke. You, little girl, are in our way, move or be killed."

_'Orochimaru? Kill Sasuke-kun? Kill me! I've got to get out of here!'_

In a frenzy she looked around for an escape route. In front, behind, nothing. She was surrounded.

_'But I have to run, it's the only way they wont kill me!'_

Frantically looking around she glimpsed Sasuke's body out of he corner of her eye. He was still unconscious, his face still in the same position as earlier. Earlier, when-

_-she knelt next to Sasuke, checking his temperature, feelings of guilt running through her head. "This is all my fault, Sasuke, Naruto, I will become stronger, more like you two, you always protected me, from now on, I'll protect you too. I promise."_

-she had promised. Promised to protect them as they had protected her.

_'I gave my word, I cant run away.'_

_'What is she doing?'_

_**'The Sound ninjas, want the musky one, she stands between them and their goal, this is pack.'**_

_'Should I help? You said she wouldn't be strong enough on her own.'_

_**'A vixen is strongest when she defends her pack.'**_

The three Sound ninjas took a few steps towards Sakura, Naruto tensed, ready to jump to her defense.

_**'Wait brat, she has to do this herself.'**_

_'What? Why?'_

_**'Just watch.'**_

"Last chance little girl, move away or we will kill you."

Sakura stood still, facing Sasuke's body, her back to the enemy.

"Looks like she wants to die, Kin, take her out."

"Right away Zaku."

The female member of the sound team pulled out a kunai and hurled it at the stationary Sakura. She didn't even have time to turn before the deadly instrument caught her between the shoulder blades.

"To easy...what!"

The Sakura pierced by Kins kunai disappeared in a puff of smoke, replaced by a log.

"Kawarimi? Seems like the little girl wants to fight after all. Stupid, she should have just run."

Two kunai came flying out of the trees towards Kin, who dodged them easily.

"I cant just run away", Sakura said from her hiding place high in the trees, as she through another pair of kunai, which hit the ground as they were also dodged.

"Fool, you cant hope to defeat us, why throw away your life? Out of the way!"

Several more kunai hit the ground around Kin, creating a circle of kunai which the sound ninja stood in the middle of.

"I have to stand my ground, to defend those precious to me, I wont give in."

Kin pulled out several of her own kunai and though them to where she believed Sakura to be hiding, in response a barrage of kunai, shuriken and even rocks flew at her. She was now surrounded by spent weapons.

"I made a promise, a promise to protect them as they protected me, and even though I have already failed once, I wont go back on my words, thats my way of the ninja!"

Naruto let his jaw hang open, it seemed as if his absence had caused changes.

_'Fox, she's stealing my lines!'_

_**'Perhaps this is a change for the better.'**_

_'I think so, I just hope she doesn't get herself hurt.'_

"Foolish, you...huh! What the hell!"

Around Kin the spent weapons all disappeared in puffs of smoke, each replaced by a tiny slip of paper. Distracted, Kin failed to see one final kunai come flying towards her, an explosive note attached to its handle. As it hit the ground and ignited, all the small slips of paper, actually mini-explosive notes, simultaneously exploded, blinding Kin and causing small injuries. As Kin flinched back stunned, the large explosive note blew, creating a large crater and leaving one unconscious, severely injured sound ninja.

Dosu, the one sound ninja who had remained silent till then, spoke up.

"You, what did you do."

Sakura, still hidden in the trees, answered him.

"Mini-explosive notes disguised as weapons using henge. The small explosions stopped her from seeing the large explosive note right next to her. It was inspired by my teammates use of henge and a Fuuma Shuriken."

"Impressive, you defeated Kin using only academy techniques. The two of us however, will not go down so easily."

Zaku lifted his hands up and pointed them in the direction of Sakura's voice.

"Take this! Zankuuha!"

Taken by surprise, Sakura was only able to half dodge the blast of air pressure as it ripped through the trees, and was sent flying out of her tree towards Dosu. Managing to land on her feet she looked around just in time to dodge a punch from Dosu. Unfortunately for Sakura however, Dosu's arm emitted sound waves, which caused Sakura to stumble around before collapsing and throwing up. Sakura was completely disabled.

Hinata sat on the edge of her Island, feet dangling over the edge. She had explored the small, floating island for a couple of hours, but had come to the conclusion that there was nothing there but rock.

_'Why is my mind represented by a floating piece of rock?'_

Over the hours she had been there Hinata's thoughts hadn't wondered far from that question. When she was in her body her mind was never empty, there had always been thoughts and memories.

_'It doesn't make sense for this to be my head, its too...empty. But if it isn't my mind what could it be? People are supposed to be made up of three parts. Mind, body and soul. Future me is in my body, and this cant be my mind, so that leaves the soul.'_

Hinata looked around, the sky was a light purple, almost lavender, the colour of her eyes.

_'If this is my soul it would reflect how I really am, my deepest emotions, how I really feel.'_

She looked out over her little island, and the endless sky beyond it. She was the only one here, on her own.

_'If this is my soul, and I'm the only one here...does that mean I'm all alone? Do I have no connections to anyone? Am I just me? Just Hinata? With no one else? Just me, all alone.'_

Naruto saw Sakura collapse after Dosu's attack. Worry filled his stomach, hadn't Shikamaru's team been here before, where were they? What about Lee? He had been here before?

_'Dammit fox she needs help.'_

_**'You will be more help in the long run if they believe you to be dead.'**_

_'Er...how, exactly?'_

_**'You need scrolls, and they are injured. If you are believed dead you can use the element of surprise to get the scrolls when they are brought to you.'**_

_'Brought to me? Oh..Kabuto right? But still, I can help here, shes out of it so she wont know I'm there.'_

_**'That other team is here as well, hiding in the bushes. They will see you.'**_

_'Then I'll just have to die again!'_

_**'Huh?'**_

_'Watch and learn foxy.'_

Naruto removed his jacket, then created a single shadow clone.

"Here, put this on." He handed the jacket to the clone, who put it on over its black shirt.

"You're job is to make sure Sakura is safe and then get hit by that air blast thing, got it?"

"Yes boss, but I don't see why _I _have to be a sacrifice." Naruto blinked, his clone was arguing with him, odd.

"Just get on with it, stupid clone." The clone snorted, and started towards the battlefield, still grumbling.

_**'Why give him your jacket?'**_

_'The clone will be destroyed. Usually there would be nothing left, but with my jacket on it will look like the real me was hit as there will be some remains.'_

_**'And it will look like you were killed in the attack. But what if the clone is hit too early.'**_

_'He wont be, we have plenty of practice dodging attacks that cause damage even if they don't hit you.'_

_**'Yes, I suppose you do.' **_Neither Naruto nor the Kyuubi sounded particularly excited, as if they were remembering something they would rather not.

_**'It will be different this time brat.'**_

_'Damn right it will fox.'_

Zaku saw Dosu reach down to finish off the pink haired girl. She had put up a good fight, taking down Kin like that, but in the end she would die. He turned away to go and finish off his target, Uchiha Sasuke. Just as he reached the sleeping Uchiha, he hear a sickening crunch behind him.

_'Thats the end of you, little girl.'_

Having thought that Dosu had finished off the girl he was extremely surprised when said sound ninja crashed into the tree next to him.

"Hey you! How dare you hurt Sakura-chan!"

Zaku turned to see a blond, orange clad ninja sporting a leaf headband.

"More of you? You teammate seemed to think you were already dead."

_'Another weak ninja, this wont take long.'_

Before Naruto could respond Zaku started his attack. Rushing in, he executed a series of rapid punches, all of which his opponent dodged by a considerable margin.

_'Why is he dodging so far, its like he's afraid I could hurt him with only a glancing hit. Perhaps he saw Dosu's attack?'_

As the fight continued Zaku was becoming increasingly annoyed. He had no jutsu apart from his Zankuuha, and that was no use in a fist fight. Even worse, his opponent had only dodged, no blocks and no attacks. Zaku was tiring out.

_'I have to end this soon.'_

Determined to finish it Zaku jumped back from Naruto and set himself, palms of his hands facing the enemy.

"I'll show you my most powerful attack, Zankuukyokuha!"

Zaku's most powerful attack ripper towards the orange clad ninja, leaving a trench in its wake. Naruto was unable to dodge, and vanished in the destruction. As everything settled, the remains of an orange jacket settled to the ground.

"Got...huff...him."

Inside the real Naruto's mind an interesting conversation was taking place.

_**'A great sacrifice.'**_

_'Yes, it was.'_

_**'It will be missed.'**_

_'Yes, it will.'_

_**'I though you'd never get rid of that awful orange thing.'**_

_'Hey! I though you were being caring!'_

**_'Me? Caring? Never! You should know that.' _**

_**'Anyway, what now?'**_

_'Dosu's out, and Zaku's exhausted, Shikamaru's team will finish him or Sasuke will wake up and do the same, we get a scroll and go on our way. Simple.'_

_**'While we lie in wait for Kabuto, right?'**_

_'Right, and I can practice rasengan while waiting.'_

_**'Good, I do believe joining with you future self has made you smarter.'**_

_'Shut it foxy!'_

_**'But your still just as easy to torment.'**_

Hinata was still sitting on the edge of her island, head in hands.

_'Am I really all alone? Will no one help me? I cant get out of here alone! I'm...too weak.'_

The air In front of Hinata flickered, but Hinata, with her head in her hands missed it, she looked up just a second too late.

_'Too weak to do anything, thats what everyone thinks, the teachers at the academy, the clan, everyone.'_

The air in front of her flickered again, but Hinata, lost in despair failed to notice.

_'Even...even father says I'm weak, weaker than everyone.'_

The air shimered, flickered, then seemed to fold back upon itself, revealing another island much like her own. Hinata looked down at it, it floated slightly below her own island. On the edge of the island, arms folded against his chest and looking at her with contempt, stood her father, Hyuuga Hiashi.

FatefulGravy's Jutsu Dictionary

**Kawarimi no Jutsu (Ninjutsu)**

The body substitute skill is a commonly used evasive skill. Replaces the ninjas body with a local object while the ninja moves out of the way of the attack.

Used by: Nearly all ninjas

**Henge no Jutsu (Ninjutsu)**

The most basic skill required to become a ninja. Allows the ninja to transform into something else to confuse or misdirect their opponent.

Used by: All ninjas

**Zankuuha (Ninjutsu)**

The ninja controls air pressure through tubes in the arms to form large and powerful blasts. Zankuukyokuha is the same attack at full power.

Used by: Zaku Abumi


	5. Chapter 4: Connections

Future Memories

A Naruto fanfiction by FatefulGravy

Previously: Naruto wakes up from fighting the snake, he finds Sakura fighting the sound ninjas and fakes his own defeat. Hinata determines that she is within her soul and makes a connection to her father.

* * *

**Chapter 4**

Connections

"Hinata."

"Father."

Hinata and Hiashi each stood on the edge of their respective islands, staring at each other. The gulf between the islands symbolic of the relationship between the two.

"Why are you here?" Hiashi asked, "To be trapped within yourself is a sign of great weakness, weakness unheard of among the Hyuuga." Despite their positions, with Hinata's island floating above her fathers, she couldn't help but fell like her father was talking down at her.

_'No, not talking down to me, he doesn't see me, to him I am only a heir.'_

"You are a great disappointment to me Hinata, perhaps I should make Hanabi heir as opposed to you, she is much stronger than you after all." Next to Hiashi's island another flickered into existence, her younger sister, Hyuuga Hanabi stood upon it.

"I agree with father, the Hyuuga, as the dominant clan in Konoha, require a strong leader, and you are not capable of fulfilling that role."

_'She sounds like future me, does everyone believe me weak and incapable.' _Hinata collapsed to her knees, tears running down her cheeks. _'They never really cared for me, Father, sister, why? Even in-_

_-Hinata crept towards the front gate, carrying nothing but the few possessions she had managed to scrape together. This was her chance, a chance to escape._

"_So your leaving?"_

_She gasped and spun round, dropping into a combat stance. Her father stood behind her, he had found her, he would force her to stay._

"_Your going to join them, I suppose I should have foreseen this." He turned his back on her and walked back towards the mansion. What was going on? Was he letting her leave?_

"_Just stay out of our way, your not strong enough to make a difference anyhow." He continued to walk away, leaving Hinata with a path to freedom. She took-_

_-the future they thought I was weak. Father didn't stop me leaving because he didn't see me as a threat.' _Hinata looked up at her family, they had thought nothing of her, put her down and then accepted her _betrayal_, as if it was of no consequence. Hinata looked down at her sister, _'Hanabi you-_

_-are going to die little sister, and I am going to kill you."_

"_As if, traitor. You are within the field of my divination, Hakkeshou: Rokujuu Yonshou." As the younger Hyuuga dashed forward to attack the older slid into an unfamiliar stance._

"_Foolish move little sister, Akuma ten-_

_-died, I killed you.' _She hadn't been weak then, she'd been ruthless, willing to kill her own sister. At that point, Hinata decided that she hated her future self. _'I wont become like her, I will not kill Hanabi-chan, I cant!' _Hinata jumped up, it was her future self who had killed Hanabi, and her future self was currently in control of her body! If things went as before she would be fighting Neji in the preliminaries and who knew what her future self would do to him! She had to get out of here to escape.-

_-"Perhaps I'll let you out sometime, or perhaps you'll be able to take control like I have, but the only way you'll do so is to...well that would be telling-_

-So there was a way out, and it had to be possible otherwise future Hinata would not have withheld the information. Future Hinata thought she was weak, thought that she would stay in here and let her do what she wanted. Well she wasn't going to, she would prove she wasn't weak She would escape, and she would stop herself before she killed anyone.

* * *

"Hey Shino! She's waking up!" Kiba was shouting loud enough for everyone in the tower to hear, and Akamaru's excited barks weren't exactly quite either.

_'Kami he's noisy!' _"Hey Kiba-kun, quiet down I've got a head ache." Future Hinata was obviously _not _amused by Kiba's loudness.

"Err...Sorry Hinata-chan, I was just excited y'know." He did have the dignity to like slightly guilty, but it didn't last long.

"Um..sure Kiba-kun. Hey, how long was I out for?" Hinata asked, "and how long till the end of the exam." _'I cant wait to the preliminaries, haven't had a good fight in ages.'_

Kiba started counting the days on his fingers, "Gah...ah...um...".

"About a day, and there are two days remaining after today," Shino interrupted Kiba's 'mental' arithmetic before Hinata decided to go back to sleep.

"Thanks Shino-kun," Hinata responded, "That leaves the rest of today and tomorrow for training." This got here a strange look from Kiba.

"Training, for what?"

_'I don't know how I ever ended up liking this idiot', _"Training for the third stage, didn't you ever notice the exam tournaments, wasn't your sister in one of them?"

Hinata was making Kiba feel stupid, "Um..yeah, I kinda...forgot."

Hinata sighed and whacked him on the back of the head, "Baka! Come on lets go train, I've got something I wanna try out!"

As Hinata skipped away to find somewhere to train Kiba turned to Shino, "When was Hinata every this enthusiastic about training?"

"She has been acting strange since the first day," Shino responded calmly, "She has lost her stutter, and seems much more, confident, about being a ninja."

"Perhaps we should keep an eye on her, something could be wrong," Kiba suggested, and Akamaru yipped his approval.

"A good plan," the bug user agreed, "but how come you can be intelligent about things involving Hinata, while being stupid about everything else?"

"Shut up Shino."

* * *

"Sakura-chan! Sakura-chan!"

Sakura opened one eye to see a blond haired girl shaking her awake. "Go away Ino-pig I need my rest."

"Nice to see you up forehead-girl, but you need to get out of here before the sound nins come to."

Sakura was instantly awake, jumping to her feet she looked around her. In addition to the crater caused by her explosive note several trenches scarred the ground around her, and, to her surprise, all three sound ninjas were asleep. "Er...what happened, who got the other two? Was is Sasuke-kun?"

Although Sakura had been talking to herself Ino answered her, "Hardly, Sasuke hasn't even woken up yet, he's pulling a Shikamaru."

"Then who? You?"

Ino looked at the ground sheepishly, "Na..Naruto did it, he knocked one out, than fought the other one until, well..." Ino trailed off.

_'Naruto? But he hasn't been around since we were attacked.' _"Where's Naruto now?" Sakura asked worriedly, Ino didn't answer.

"He was hit by that air blast attack," Shikamaru supplied, "We could only find this." He held up Naruto's ruined jacket. Both sleeves were missing and the collar was hanging on by a thread. "He took a direct hit."

Sakura took Naruto's jacket, then looked to the trees she had hid in the night before. They had taken a direct hit, and now only splinters were left. "But...what...he can't be dead."

Ino shrugged, still not looking at Sakura, "We couldn't find a body, but with all the animals in the forest that doesn't mean anything."

Sakura didn't know what to think. Yes, Naruto had been annoying and yes, they didn't get on particularly well, but having him around was how she imagined a brother would be, and when he wasn't there the night before she had felt...lonely.

"You'd better come with us," Shikamaru offered, "we'll help with Sasuke, you're in no shape to alone."

Sakura wasn't listening. She remained dazed as Chouji picked up the still comatose Sasuke, and barley noticed as Ino led her off. She still kept a grip on the destroyed orange jacket.

* * *

_'Fox, I'm bored.'_

_**'Practice.'**_

_'I've been doing that all day.'_

_**'Sleep.'**_

_'Did that last night.'_

_**'Masturb...'**_

_'Shut up foxy.'_

_**'You asked, and I insist you call me Foxy-sama.'**_

_'I could always call you Foxy-tenshi.'_

_**'You dare compare me, the greatest of all demons, to one of those wimpy guardians of Heaven!'**_

_'You started it.'_

Naruto broke off from his mental conversation to check on his surroundings. He was well hidden, and it would be dark soon. Tomorrow he would find where Sakura and Sasuke camped and lie in wait of Kabuto. Right now though, he had nothing to do.

_'Fox?'_

_**'What, brat.'**_

_'I'm bored.'_

_

* * *

_

Around midday the next day Kiba and Shino eventually found Hinata. Even with their considerable skill at tracking Hinata had given them quite the run around. They had followed her scent from the bottom of the tower to the top, then back down again. The track had crossed itself repeatedly and even led out of a window at one point. Fueling suspicions that Hinata had walked up the outer wall.

In the end they had tracked her down to one of the training rooms dotted around the tower. Kiba felt sure they had been there before, but then again, they'd seen most of the tower. As they entered Hinata was just about to start a Kata. Her left arm and leg were both fully extended and pointing down to the ground. Her right leg bent the opposite direction to her left, giving the stance a wide base, and her right arm was held defensively across her body.

Seemingly ignorant of their entrance Hinata began the Kata. Much to Kiba's surprise the movements were entirely defensive. Her hands moved fluidly in a circular motion as she moved her feet to give herself a slow spin. Her hands left chakra trails which spun around her body like blue streamers. Then, suddenly, Hinata used the momentum of her slow spin to throw first one palm thrust at stomach hight, then another at head height. Each attack gave off a blast of visible chakra, before Hinata left the stance, and straighten up.

_'A Kata with only two attacks? Must be for defense, but it looked beautiful.' _Kiba shook himself out of his daze just in time to see Hinata turn to them with a uncharacteristic smirk.

"So you two finally caught up to me?" She appeared amused at the shock on Kiba's face.

"What was that?" He asked, with complete disregard for her question.

"That? Um..just a little something I've been working on." She was teasing him, Kiba, however, was oblivious.

"A _little _something. I'd say it was a big something, it was beaut...err..amazi...really cool."

Hinata giggled, "Thanks Kiba-kun. How goes your training?"

"We have spent most of our time tracking you down," Shino responded, "There has been little time for training."

"Sorry about that Shino-kun but I thought Kiba-kun could use the exercise."

That got a rise out of Kiba, "Hey! I have good stamina!"

"I'm sure you do Kiba-kun," all cheerfulness vanished from her voice, "but you wouldn't want to lose just because your opponent could fight for longer would you?"

Kiba glanced at Shino, who shrugged. She had been so happy, and now she seemed so down, all because of one comment.

"Hey Hinata-chan, is something wrong?" asked Kiba.

Hinata walked between the two of them and headed for the exit of the training room. "I'm fine Kiba-kun, I'm just tired after all the training."

"You sure?"

"Yeah, I'm gonna go take a break, later."

She left the two of them standing there, confused as ever.

* * *

Back at the islands, present-Hinata sat and thought. Her father and sister had just stood there since there initial comments, not saying a word. Hinata figured this was because they weren't real, and could therefore only give the impression of the real people. They had said what they did because that was how Hinata thought they saw her.

_'As they think I'm weak they wont be able to help me get out of here, if I could find someone who thought I was strong, they may be able to help.'_

Hinata focused her thoughts on those who didn't see her as weak, who didn't see her as only the heir to the Hyuuga clan. The people she could depend on, and who would be able to depend on her.

_'Naruto, Kiba, Shino.'_

"Having any luck?"

Hinata opened her eyes to she future-Hinata infront of her.

"Thought I'd pop in for a visit. I see you've managed to find dear Father and dear dear Hanabi-chan. Have they helped you at all, or have they become more of a problem then they are a benefit."

"Unlike you I would never attack my own family."

"Hey! You didn't stutter! A definite improvement, perhaps your one step closer to escape. To perhaps your not. Bare in mind though, that I am you, and I did attack my own family, so perhaps you will too. After all, you know what they will do. How they will hurt the ones you love, what if the only way to save them is to kill your own family."

To the great surprise of future-Hinata, her younger self stood her ground. "I'll find away to save them all, I wont become like you, no matter what."

Future-Hinata's lips lifted in a small smile. "You may try, but you are too weak to save anyone. Only by becoming like me can you save those close to you."

_'Naruto, Kiba, Shino. You don't think I'm weak, with your help, I know I could do it.'_

Behind present-Hinata three new islands appeared, on the opposite side of Hinata's island to those occupied by Hiashi and Hanabi. Naruto, Kiba and Shino each stood on their own island.

"I may be too weak now, but with help, I can become stronger than you."

Future-Hinata turned her back on her past self, and unseen by present-Hinata smiled brightly.

_'She's finally getting it, perhaps she can correct my mistakes.'_

"So you have some friends on your side, supporting you. But you also have family against you. You could escape but you could fail. Which will it be?"

Before Hinata could respond her future self faded away.

* * *

Hinata sat up in bed, and smiled a bright smile. Her past self was doing very well indeed.

* * *

A/N

A Hinata focused chaper. I think this is much better than the previous chapter however.

SOMEBODY asked about Tsuuga, which means Piercing Fang (I think) Gatsuuga is Double Piercing Fang and is done in combination with the ninjas dog. Actually I've never seen Kiba use Tsuuga but I assume he can use it since its simpler than Gatsuuga.

The 1/10th bunshin strength refers to water clones. I think Zabuza says something about in the Wave Country arc.

Thanks for the reveiws, but usually I'll only respond to questions or queries otherwise it infaltes the word count and makes the stroy look longer than it is, and I hate it when half a fic ends up being review responses or authors notes.

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or any characters in it.


	6. Chapter 5: Confrontation

Future Memories

A Naruto fanfiction by FatefulGravy

Previously: Naruto is believed dead by Sakura and Team 10. Hinata makes progress in her inner struggle while her future self trains. Naruto lies in wait for Kabuto.

* * *

**Chapter 5**

Confrontation

* * *

_**'Got a plan?'**_

_'Of course.'_

Naruto was on his way towards where he could smell Sakura. It appeared that once he had caught a scent he could track it over quite the distance, a distance that was extended even further if the scent was a familiar one.

_**'And does this plan of yours involve some jutsu that you've never used before?'**_

_'Um...yeah.'_

_**'Using an untested jutsu in a battle situation is not a good idea, what if something went wrong?'**_

Kyuubi had been entirely unhelpful during the previous evenings planning session. His only idea was 'manifest my chakra', which, although it would have given Naruto the power to easily defeat Kabuto, would have also alerted ever ninja in the village. Not a good idea.

_'I know its not the best thing to do, but Kabuto has a huge lead on me right now so using skills he doesn't expect is the only way to win.'_

_**'What I want to know is why you insist on going after him anyway, killing an enemy as strong as Kakashi is beyond you. There are much easier ways to get the scrolls.'**_

_'I don't need to kill him, I need him to report me to Orochimaru. The more things on his mind the more distracted he will be, if he's distracted enough Old man Hokage might kill him this time.'_

**_'Knowing that the container of the greatest demon ever has the power to take on his second in command_** **_would be a distraction.'_**

_'Yep!'_

Naruto stopped on a tree branch. As he came closer to Sakura and Sasuke he had picked up three new scents. Flowers, deer, and crisps.

_'Looks like Team 10 is with Sakura.'_

He continued moving towards the scent until he came insight of his comrades. The five of them had set up camp next to a stream. Naruto saw that Sasuke had yet to wake up, while the other four were sitting around a small camp fire, skillfully constructed to avoid giving off smoke.

_'Any minute now.'_

As if on cue Naruto caught the faint scent of snake approaching.

* * *

Kabuto was uncharacteristically annoyed. Originally his assignment was to make sure Sasuke's team reached the next round. Now however, due to the Sound teams failure, he had to awaken Sasuke's cursed seal as well as somehow replace Naruto, whom the sound team claimed to have killed. And to add to his problems, Sasuke was now with another team, making his mission even harder.

Cursing his luck, or lack thereof, Kabuto continued towards Sasuke's location. He still had to travel through part of the forest before he reached the river where his target was reported to be. His progress was halted, however, when he entered a small clearing, and heard someone drop to the ground behind him. In a flash he turned, before his eyes widened at who had surprised him.

"Uzumaki Naruto, you're supposed to be dead."

"Hah...well y'know I am Konoha's number one ninja at surprising people," said Naruto before jumping towards Kabuto, fist raised.

Kabuto ducked under the attack and turned to face Naruto, who had landed behind him. "Hey, you wouldn't attack a fellow Konoha Ninja now would you, Naruto-kun?"

"Of course not Kabuto-san, but your not really a leaf-nin are you?" Asked Naruto with a smirk.

_'How did he know?' _"I don't know what you mean Naruto-kun," Kabuto responded, while dodging another wild attack.

"The only people who would tel you I was dead, Kabuto-bastard, are the sound ninjas. You wouldn't happen to a sound spy would you?" Naruto launched another series of attacks, all of which Kabuto dodged. _'Nearly in position.'_

Kabuto's smile vanished, replaced by a glare. "So you found out Naruto-kun, I'm afraid I cant leave you alive since you know my secret now can I?" Kabuto jumped back from a roundhouse kick, leaving his back up against a tree.

_'Now!' _Naruto jumped back from Kabuto and started charging a Rasengan in his right hand.

Kabuto looked on in shock at the swirling chakra. _'Whats this technique?' _Naruto leaped towards Kabuto, bringing the hand held whirlwind towards his stomach. With a sickening crunch the Rasengan impacted...the tree behind Kabuto, and continued to drill through the entire trunk.

"Impressive Naruto-kun, but you cant hit me with that kind of sweeping AH!" The huge tree Naruto had hit slammed into the ground where Kabuto had just been standing. The impact left a huge crater, and tore the leaves from the branches, leaving them floating in the air.

"Hey Kabuto, let me show you something." The voice came from behind the recovering spy. He turned to see Naruto begin another Rasengan. "This is an imperfect Rasengan, the chakra isn't controlled so it leaks out." The wind caused by the imperfect Rasengan was causing the leaves from the fallen tree to swirl around the two opponents. "As you can see, in this form it can cause quite a nice effect." As the Rasengan reached full speed Kabuto was standing in a vortex of leaves, while Naruto stood calmly at the eye of the storm.

Holding up an arm to shield his face Kabuto snorted, "Very pretty Naruto-kun, but also useless." Naruto's grin gave Kabuto the feeling he should rethink his previous statement.

Naruto smirked, "This is just the beginning, Konoha Shuriken!" Suddenly charged with chakra each leaf became as hard as steel, whilst still moving rapidly in the Rasengan storm. Within seconds Kabuto was bleeding from numerous cuts, the storm of 10,000 leaves cutting so quickly that Kabuto could do little but cover his head.

"I know that you can heal yourself quickly, so I doubt this will finish you off." Naruto said as Kabuto tried to simultaneously block the killer leaves and heal himself, "So I have something to add, Konoha Kage Shuriken no Jutsu!" Kabuto's eyes widened, each leaf/shuriken multiplied, increasing the intensity of the storm. 20,000, 40,000, 80,000 a 100,000 leaves slashed at the sound spy. "I don't want you dead, Kabuto-bastard," said Naruto as he lowered the Rasengan, still in his had, to the ground. "But I do want you away from my team. As the Rasengan lowered the flurry of chakra powered leaves grew closer to the ground. With less space to move in the leaves became much more concentrated. With a scream, Kabuto's left leg was severed.

Naruto let the Rasengan die away, using so much chakra had exhausted him and it took all of his stubbornness not to collapse next to Kabuto. As the storm died down he saw his opponent clutching a bloodied stump, face white and eyes wide, the missing leg had been reduced to dust by the onslaught of leaves.

He staggered over to Kabuto and pulled a pair of scrolls from the spy's pouch. "Thanks Kabuto-san, I'll see you around. A medic-nin like you should have no problem healing this injury right?" As Naruto walked slowly off in the direction of his team Kabuto thought, _'How did he know I was a medic?'_

_

* * *

_

Sasuke's eyes cracked open, before slamming closed again. He had a massive headache and that bright light above him hurt. He groaned and sat up, where was he. Opening one eye a crack he took a quick glance around. He was outside, he could hear a river, the ground was hard. He caught a glimpse of pink hair out of the corner of his eye.

"Sak...ura," he croaked out through a dry throat. Said pink haired girl snapped around at the sound of his voice.

"Sasuke-kun! You're awake, how are you? Does it hurt anywhere? Can I get you anything? What happened to you?"

Sasuke cut her babbling off with a glare, "Water," he demanded. Sakura nodded and went to fetch something to drink. While she was away Sasuke tried to remember what had happened. He'd been fighting the snake freak, who had _bit_ him, and then, then...he couldn't remember. How long had he been asleep, and where was the dobe?

Sakura returned with some water, which he gladly drank down. He was about to question Sakura when his questions were answered, "You've been unconscious for two and a half days, its know the final day of the exam," Sakura explained, "We don't have any scrolls and...and Naruto..."

"What about the dobe?" Asked Sasuke, not that he was worried, the idiot had probably just done something stupid and hurt himself.

"He...I...He," Sakura didn't know how to say it, so she just pulled out Naruto's ruined jacket and held it up for Sasuke to see.

Sasuke blinked, confused, "He ruined his jacket?" Sakura closed her eyes and shook her head, she looked like she was going to cry. Actually, now that Sasuke had a close look it appeared that she had been crying a lot.

"He's dead," she whispered, "some sound ninjas attacked and they killed him." Sasuke looked on in shock, this was just _great. _First they had no scrolls, know one of his teammates was dead, there was no way he would pass the exam now.

Sasuke gestured for Sakura to throw him the jacket, she tossed it to him and it was caught, but not by Sasuke.

"Thanks Sakura-chan, I was looking for that," mumbled Naruto, before collapsing and dropping a pair of scrolls.

Sasuke blinked, confused again, before talking to Sakura, "I thought you said he was dead?"

Sakura's eyes had gone from sad/crying to angry/flaming in a split second, "He will be when I'm finished with him," growled Sakura, **'HE MAKES ME WORRIED THEN JUST SHOWS UP! ARGGGGH!' **Put in Inner-Sakura.

* * *

It was just a few hours later when teams seven and ten arrived at the tower. After his return Naruto made a quick recovery, although a refused to answer any questions about what he had been up to. When asked where he had gotten the scrolls he just responded 'here and there', infuriating his teammates. None the less, they had reached the tower with both the Heaven and Earth scroll, and were able to progress.

Much to there annoyance, Naruto had split from his team again. He needed to speak to Hinata before the preliminaries, and she was proving hard to find. However, following her scent Naruto had tracked her down.

"Hinata-chan!" he called out. Noticing him, Hinata started to walk over. Naruto noticed the differences in her posture at once. She walked up straight without slouching, and didn't appear nervous at all.

"Naruto-sama," she said, which was strange, no one ever called him 'sama', "I think you're looking for Hinata-chan, shes not in at the minute would you like to leave a message?"

* * *

FatefulGravy's Jutsu Dictionary

**Imperfect Rasengan (Ninjutsu)**

The imperfect form of the Rasengan doesn't contain the energy it uses, so the spinning chakra causes strong winds around the ninja.

Used by: Uzumaki Naruto

**Konoha Shuriken (Ninjutsu)**

By pumping chakra into a leaf it can be hardened and sharpened to become a very effective weapon.

Used by: Future Uzumaki Naruto

**Konoha Kage Shuriken no Jutsu (Ninjutsu/other)**

Can be performed several ways. One: by hiding another leaf in the shadow of a leaf shuriken much like the original Kage Shuriken no Jutsu. Two: By increasing chakra flow to the leaves, creating more leaf shurikens out of non-hardened leaves. Three: Transforming shadow clones into leaves, which is very wasteful an not a good way to do it.

Used by: Future Uzumaki Naruto

**Storm of 10,000/100,000 Leaves (Ninjutsu/combination)**

An original technique created by Future Naruto using a combination of the three above techniques. Razor sharp leaves are blown around as if in a storm. Depending on the number and concentration of leaves used the technique can cause massive amounts of damage. However, it uses a lot of chakra to maintain three techniques at once, and even future Naruto cant use it repeatedly.

Used by: Future Uzumaki Naruto

* * *

A/N 

Originally everything up to here was chapter one, but if I wrote 10,000 word chapters It'd be ages between updates.

Anyway, Naruto seems overpowered in this chapter, but he has recieved alot of knowledge from the future, which means he has access to lots of techniques. He is still as slow and weak as a genin however, so Kabuto would have kicked his ass if he actually attacked.

Next time: Hinata vs Hinata! and Hinanta and F.Hinata vs Neji! And the other prelims!


	7. Chapter 6: Competition

Future Memories

A Naruto fanfiction by FatefulGravy

Previously: Naruto defeats Kabuto and takes his scrolls before rejoining his team. Sasuke awakes, and the three of them progress to the next stage.

* * *

**Chapter 6**

Competition

"I think you're looking for Hinata-chan, shes not in at the minute would you like to leave a message?"

"Huh...er...how...wh...gah...what?", was Naruto's less than intelligent response.

Hinata sighed, "Naruto-sama you are still so easily surprised, I'm sure you remember me somewhere inside that head of yours. Think of allthe, _things, _we got up to together." She giggled as Naruto blushed.

Naruto did indeed remember Future Hinata, a rather bizarre cross between Anko's and Kakashi's personalities. An unfortunate outcome of having both as an individual sensei for a time after Kurenai, her first sensei, was killed in action. Despite recalling who she was, Naruto did not remember doing any _things_, with the slightly perverted and scary girl. But damn it he was still a teenager and saying things like that was bound to get a reaction.

Shaking himself out of his daze Naruto questioned Hinata, "How did this happen, I don't even remember myself in the future, how can you be here?" He was understandably confused, memory transfer through time was not his area of expertise.

"I can only guess," Hinata replied, "either myself and todays Hinata were to different to live together without significant changes, or Kyuubi screwed up when he did his, um, thing."

Naruto snorted, he didn't have a clue what exactly the fox demon had done either. "Most likely the first one," he explained, "Kyuubi said something about it earlier."

"Oh goody, that means I made the right choice," said Hinata, "I could have messed present Hinata up if it had been the other one." For something that could have done so much damage she seemed entirely unconcerned.

"What do you mean? What did you do?", asked Naruto in a loud voice.

"Why Naruto-sama you seem worried," Hinata was quickly reverting to crazy mode now she new her past self was safe, "Could you possibly be interested in little me?"

"What! No of co..."

"Cause' y'know I'm attatched, you even came to the wedding."

"I'm n..."

"And as much as I like you I couldn't go behind my future husbands back know would I?"

"Could you j..."

"You wouldn't want to disrupt the future to much, would you Naruto-sama?"

"COULD YOU JUST ANSWER THE QUESTION!" Naruto was on the verge of calling up Kyuubi's chakra, he'd forgotten how the Future Hinata could get under his skin.

"Of course Naruto-sama," Hinata replied calmly, "The younger me is currently going through the Trials."

Naruto frowned. The Trials were a self inflicted genjutsu Sakura had created to combat the Manekyou Sharingan's illusions. Be going through a number of steps the Trials would strengthen the mind, and allow a ninja to survive and continue to fight after experiencing Tsukiyomi, if not break out of it. It had been invaluable in fighting both Sasuke and Itachi, Naruto himself had been through the technique. But he failed to see why Hinata was using it on herself.

"How is that going to help," he asked, "we wont be fighting Itachi for ages."

"It has nothing to do with Sharingans Naruto-sama, it is to prepare little Hinata-chan to share her body with me."

"Huh? Share?"

"Yes, share. We are too different to merge and neither one of us can be destroyed. The only way to go is for us to be two minds in one body."

Understanding dawned on Naruto, without preparation Hinata was instinctively fight against another mind in her head, and would eventually be driven mad. This way both would survive.

Naruto nodded, "How far along is she?" he asked.

"About to start the final test, Naruto-sama."

* * *

Deep within her own mind, Hinata stood upon her island. She didn't know how long she had been there, time had no meaning on the mindscape, she could have been there for seconds or years. Time could only be measured as the gaps between events, and from Hinata's point of view, it had been a long time since anything had happened.

Standing on her island, surrounded by those of her friends and enemies, Hinata planned. Future Hinata, she deduced, had been the one who put her there, so therefore, Future Hinata should be able to get her out. To get her to do this Hinata had come up with an unbeatable, unstoppable, Naruto style plan. Beat her up.

"I know you're there."

"You felt me enter your mind, very good Hinata-chan."

Hinata turned away from gazing out at the expanse of the mindscape. "I'm ready to leave now," she told her future self, "and you cant stop me, you put me in here and you are going to let me out."

"You think you are ready? We will see, the only way to escape is to defeat me."

_'Just what I wanted,' _thought Hinata, as she slid into the jyuken stance.

"Very well, lets see what you have learned. Come, Hinata-chan!"

Hinata dashed at her future self, anger at being trapped fueling her attacks. She unleashed a furious jyuken combination at the older Hinata, landing several hits on key points, before unleashing a spinning heal kick, causing her tormentor to spin away from her.

"Did you even hit me, Hinata-chan?" Chuckling she turned to Hinata, "We are in your mind Hinata-chan, there is _no _chakra to seal, there is _no _body to injure. Everything here is only as real as a thought, you can see it, hear it, believe it, but you can not make it exist just because you want it to."

Hinata activated her Byakugan and charged again, collecting all of her chakra into one palm which she thrust at the older girls chest, _through _her chest. Hinata's entire body passed through her future self, and stumbled to the ground behind her.

"This isn't about strength," said Future Hinata, as her younger self fired off more attacks which caused no harm, "It's about knowledge." Hinata charged with another jyuken strike, passed through Future Hinata and stumbled to the ground again.

She pulled her self to her feet and swung a strong kick at Future Hinata's head, which aloud it to pass through with no resistance. "This isn't about power, it's about belief."

Hinata jumped back and took up a stance, "Hakkeshou: Rokujuu Yonshou," Hinata attacked with sixty four strikes, each aimed at a tenketsu, and each passed through Future Hinata's body. "This isn't about us," claimed Future Hinata as strikes went through her, "this is about_ them_." She gestured at the surrounding islands, at Kiba, Shino and Naruto, at Hanabi and her Father.

Hinata jumped back, breathing heavily, "What do you mean?" she asked. She looked to her friends Islands, they stood there, looking at her as if waiting for something. She looked over to her families islands, and saw that Hanabi and her Father had, gone.

Alarmed, she turned back to Future Hinata and was surprised to see that there, standing behind her future self, stood her family. Future Hinata smirked, Hiashi and Hanabi jumped forward to attack Hinata.

Too surprised to react Hinata got caught by a low sweeping kick from her father which knocked her legs together and flipped her upside down. In mid air, with her head facing the ground, Hinata was hit in the stomach by a two handed jyuken attack from her younger sister. She was sent skidding back across the island by the blow, before coming to a stop and coughing up some blood.

Hinata coughed again, and struggled to her feet, "How," she asked, "I couldn't hit you," she coughed up some more blood, "so how could they hit me?"

"Simple Hinata-chan," Future Hinata had just appeared infront of her, "you allowed them too."

"I, what?"

"Me and you, we are real, complete personalities, we exist. They are created from our combined memories. While the _real _versions of them exist, the ones in here don't, they are nothing but our memories of them. Me and you, we aren't really here, we are with our body in the real world, they are _only _here. Memories given physical form, and if you let them, memories will hurt you forever."

Future Hinata turned away from her younger self, "You are all alone Hinata-chan, and you memories will overwhelm you."

_'She doesn't understand,' _thought Hinata. Ahead of her, Hiashi and Hanabi prepared for another attack.

_'I'm not alone, and I'm not as weak as I appear in my memories,' _her family started to dash towards her, but her eyes were closed. _'I wont be overwhelmed by bad memories.'_

Her family had reached her now, each going for a high powered jyuken thrust. Hinata opened her eyes-

-'_Its not about strength, its about knowledge.'-_

_-_Knowledge, _'They are only memories, memories of what I fear most.' _The attack grew closer, two palms crackled with gathered energy-

-_'Its not about power, its about belief.'-_

_-_Belief, _'My friends, Kiba, Shino, Naruto, they wouldn't let this happen, I believe in them.' _Her two attackers were scant meters from her now, but still she did not move-

-_'Its not about us, its about them.'-_

_-_Them, _'They will save me.' _The attack hit, there was a great flash of light, an explosion of blue and white energy, two bodies flew from it. Hyuuga Hiashi and Hyuuga Hanabi hit the ground and skidded to a stop either side of Future Hinata. The smoke around Hinata cleared, revealing her surrounded by those most dear to her. Her friends had come to her rescue.

All around Hinata the desolate wasteland of the mindscape faded away, the bodies of her memories, both good and bad vanished. Hinata found herself standing in a field of flowers under a clear blue sky along with her future self.

"Congratulations Hinata-chan, you have completed the Trials," Future Hinata bent down and picked a flower, its delicate petals a light purple.

"Trials, this was all a test?" Hinata asked.

"Several tests actually, first, you realized you biggest weakness, that you believed you were weak. Second, you confronted this weakness, and saw that it came only from others perceptions of you. Finally, you defeated your weakness and your fears through your belief in yourself and your precious people. You came to realize that true strength lies in protecting those around you," Future Hinata explained, while inspecting the flower.

Hinata wasn't shocked, she knew she had changed after all, "But why? Why did you put me through that?"

"Because Hinata-chan, I cant leave, and we cant merge like Naruto-sama has, we will have to share your body, if we are to save those precious to us."

"Share?"

"Two minds..." Future Hinata held the flower out towards her younger self.

"One body..." Hinata replied, reaching for the purple bloom.

"One goal." They said together, as the world around them faded to white.

* * *

Naruto waited for the start of the preliminaries with false interest. So far nothing had been different from how he remembered it. Even Kabuto was there, along with his team, although he had to withdraw due to lack of leg. Naruto chuckled evilly. He stole a quick glance over at Hinata as the genin stood in rows in the examination hall. Present Hinata was obviously in control, he could tell by the lack of cheeky grin on her face, but he could feel Future Hinata just below the surface, exuding confidence. 

He jumped when he was nudged by Sakura, "Come on Naruto, the first match is about to start, Sasuke-kun is fighting." He looked up at the board displaying who was fighting who, Uchiha Sasuke vs Akadou Yoroi. '_Seems like everything is going to be the same as before.'_

Naruto's prediction turned out to be wrong. Very wrong. It didn't take him long to figure out what had changed. Before, if he remembered correctly, Sasuke had first activated his cursed seal to end the fight against the sound ninjas in the forest. However, this time he had just slept through it, therefore no activation of the cursed seal, and therefore no one told him not to use chakra in the upcoming fight. The result? Something of a mess.

Yoroi had started the fight by jumping at Sasuke, who flipped over him and activated his sharingan. He then made the mistake of trying to perform his trademark Katon: Goukakyuu no Jutsu. The technique required a large amount of chakra, and caused the activation of the cursed seal. The first sign that something was wrong was when the great fireball unexpectedly doubled in size, forcing Yoroi, who had jumped out of range of the original fireball, to use Kawarimi to escape. As the smoke cleared Sasuke stood surrounded by purple chakra and with black marks spreading across his skin. What followed was a slaughter.

Sasuke appeared behind Yoroi and delivered a crushing punch to the back of his head. As he crumpled to the ground Sasuke grabbed his leg, spun around several times and then hurled the chakra absorbing ninja into the wall, the bricks crumbling under the impact. Not finished, Sasuke followed up by driving his fists repeatedly into Yoroi's stomach before he had even fallen to the ground. Now firmly embedded in the wall, Yoroi could no nothing as Sasuke made the seals for another Goukakyuu no Jutsu and fired it off at point blank range. When the flames died down, only ash remained where a ninja had been before. The ninja watching the battle looked on in shock. The time between Yoroi first move and his death had been a mere thirty seconds.

Despite the current match between Sakura and Ino, Naruto could not keep himself from thinking that he had done the wrong thing it letting Sasuke be bitten.

_'Someone died because I didn't stop it happening.'_

_**'You made your choice, now you have to live with it, you choose which of your precious people to save and which to let go. Besides, the guy who died was a traitor.'**_

_'I know fox, but...' _Naruto began to argue.

**_'Those who betray us should die, he was no different,'_** Kyuubi butted in, **_'Eventually, we may have to kill Sasuke too.'_**

Naruto remained silent. He didn't want to kill Sasuke, he would save him if he could, but in the end he could cause more problems than he would solve.

_**'Snap out of it brat, were up.'**_

Uzumaki Naruto vs Inuzuka Kiba was displayed on the board.

* * *

Hinata broke off her conversation with herself as Kiba and Naruto made their way down from the balconies. Since they had agreed to share a body Future Hinata had explained that it was impossible for either one of them to have complete control of the body at one time. Unfortunately this resulted in several hours of arguing over who got to control which leg, before it was decided that they would agree what to do, and then both do it at the same time. So far this had worked for getting around, but was untested in battle.

Seeing the battle about to begin both Hinata's agreed that Kiba had no chance of winning, Hinata had been rather amused at Future Hinata's attempts to get Kiba to train more, but even she agreed that it would have taken a hell of a lot of work to improve Kiba enough. What interested the Hinata's more was _how _Naruto was going to win. He intended to get help from Jiraiya in the month break, so they thought he would use this fight to catch the attention of his future sensei. The Hinata's expected quite a show.

* * *

Down on the arena floor, Naruto was deep in conversation with Kyuubi, and therefore ignoring Kiba's insults.

**'_I vote trapping him in an illusion then zapping with small Raiton jutsu,' _**suggested Kyuubi.

_'You really are sadistic, but I don't know any Raiton jutsu,' _Naruto replied.

Kyuubi gave Naruto a mental grin, **_'Okay then, how about this...' _**

Bored of Naruto ignoring him Kiba decided that the best form of attack was, oddly enough, attack, and charged him and landed a punch square on Naruto's chin. Or rather where Naruto had been. Instead of hitting said black and orange clad ninja he had whacked what appeared to be a black ceiling tile. Looking up, thinking that Naruto had used Kawarimi with something on the ceiling, Kiba was forced to dodge a rain of falling tiles, and pretty soon he found himself surrounded by tiles.

"Akamaru, lets go!" Kiba called for his dog. Akamaru faithfully leaped to his masters call, unfortunately however, the small white dog was intercepted by one of the falling ceiling tiles and knocked out. Kiba was on his own.

* * *

Up in the stands, a mental conversation was taking place between Hinata and her Future self.

_'I know where this is going, Hinata-chan!' _Exclaimed Future Hinata.

_'Care to elaborate?' _

_'You remember the Uzumaki Naruto Rendan, right? This is a typical setup, most of the tiles are shadow clones using henge.'_

_'Really?'_

Sure enough around Kiba three tiles transformed into Naruto, catching Kiba off guard. The clone infront came in with a strong right hook and a "U..", knocking Kiba back. The three clones behind each followed with a rising kick, while calling out, "Zu...Ma...Ki." Kiba was sent flying into the air.

_'See! What'd I tell ya! Hinata-sama is all ways on the ball!'_

_'If your so great then were is the real Naruto?' _replied Hinata, _'Shouldn't he be coming in with a heel kick?'_

_'Huh? Where...Hey there he is! Whats he doing?' _

Naruto was using his chakra to cling to the roof, in place of the original tile he _had _actually used Kawarimi with. Kiba was flying up towards him, and a blue rasengan spun in his right hand. Letting the chakra in his feet go, Naruto allowed gravity to accelerate him towards Kiba's rising form. Eager to end the fight, he pushed his rasengan towards Kiba, "Rasengan Rendan!" Unable to avoid the final hit of the combo, Kiba was sent rapidly spinning back to the ground, hitting with enough impact to dig himself a small crater. Naruto landed beside the unconscious dog boy and looked at the referee, as every single tile dissipated in a puff of smoke. Not a single one had been real.

"Winner, Uzumaki Naruto."

_'Well that was new,' _said Future Hinata.

_'A combination of the Naruto of today and the Naruto of the future,' _Hinata explained, _'flashy, yet quick and efficient.'_

_'It appears he has merged completely with his future self.' _Future Hinata said, with a hint of sadness.

_'We are stronger together than we would be apart,' _Hinata tried to cheer her other self up, _'We would give Naruto-sama a run for his money.'_

_'Yeah we would wouldn't we! Hey! You called him Naruto-sama! I knew I'd get through to you!'_

_'Shut up! It was a slip of the mental tung, Naruto would much prefer Naruto-kun to Naruto-sama.' _And so the arguments continued.

* * *

On the podium the Third Hokage sat in shock. Naruto had preformed the Rasengan, the Yondaime's prized Jutsu, one handed, and without any instruction that he new of. The technique wasn't in the Forbidden Scroll, and Kyuubi, even if the Demon fox talked the boy would not be able to teach him that Jutsu. Confused, the Hokage decided that he would get Jiraiya to look at the boy.

* * *

Up in the stands Kakashi was in a similar state of shock. Naruto used his Sensei's jutsu perfectly, well the third stage at least. He could feel Sasuke's anger rising next to him.

"Keep calm Sasuke, you will be disqualified if the seal activates again," he cautioned his student.

"What was that Jutsu he used?' Sasuke asked, curious or jealous Kakashi couldn't tell.

"That was Rasengan, a Jutsu developed by the Fourth Hokage, don't worry, I can teach you a technique just as good as it," Kakashi new Rasengan was superior to his Chidori, but hey, Sasuke didn't know that.

"Hmph."

Ignoring Sasuke's general grumpiness Kakashi looked to the board for the next fight.

Hyuuga Neji vs Hyuuga Hinata

_'Oh shit,' _Kakashi prepared himself to stop an out of control Hyuuga prodigy.

* * *

_'You have a plan past-me?'_

_'Yes future-me I have a plan.'_

_'Oh good, how does it go.'_

_'Quite simple, part one: confusion!'_

_

* * *

_

Neji felt confident, Neji felt superior, Neji new he was going to win, it was the way of fate. Looking across the arena to his cousin though, Neji felt the smallest portion of doubt in his mind. She didn't look the timid, weak and scared little girl any more. She looked as confident as Neji had felt.

"I hope for a _clean _fight, Neji-dono," Hinata said, her voice that of Future Hinata, "It wouldn't do for there to be any serious _injuries _would there."

Neji was still hung up on the dono suffix. It showed high respect for someone who was your equal. Hinata may respect him, but socially he wasn't her equal.

"It is incorrect for you to address me as such Hinata-sama," he replied.

"I will one day be head of the clan Neji-dono, I can call you whatever I want," her voice had changed, reverting make to present Hinata's less forceful but still confident voice. Neji was stumped, as heir she could call him whatever she wanted, but still.

"None the less Hinata-sama..."

"Can we start now referee-san?" The older voice was back.

"Of course begin when you are ready."

Part one of Hinata's plan, confusion, had worked thus far. Neji was confused by Hinata's respect and voice switching. But once the fight began the plan went out the window.

Shaking off his confusion and concentrating on the fight Neji slid into his Jyuken stance and launched an attack against his cousin. Hinata, with two minds focusing on one thing easily saw the attack coming, but Hinata tried do dodge left, while Future Hinata tried to dodge right, their body didn't move at all. Realizing their mistake, each Hinata tried to correct it at the same time, resulting in the body still not moving. Finally getting the same idea, both Hinata's decided to jump back together, narrowly avoiding Neji's initial attack.

_'This isn't going to work,' _said Hinata to her other self, _'we haven't been together long enough to guess what the other is going to do!'_

_'We'll just have to LEFT!' _The Hinata's body jumped to the left to avoid another attack.

_'You were saying?' _Hinata urged the other.

_'Yeah, sorry we just have to BACK!' _Hinata jumped back from a particularly viscous jyuken thrust.

_'One more time.'_

_'We need to use a set pattern of attacks that we both know.' _Future Hinata blurted out quickly.

_'Akuma no Jyuken?' _Hinata suggested.

_'Akuma no Jyuken,' _confirmed her future self. Hinata grinned, the Akuma no Jyuken was a taijutsu style developed by her and Naruto (with Kyuubi's help) specifically to fight against Jyuken. Since Jyuken was performed mainly with the palms it was slightly predictable, each strike had a counter strike. The style would greatly improve their synchronization. This would be fun.

* * *

Neji was annoyed, he had had his cousin on the run, she was barley dodging his attacks. But now she was using some style he had never seen before, but was _sure_ it wasn't a Hyuuga style, to counter his every attack. Every chakra covered palm was met by a chakra covered fist, blocking his blow and leaving him open for rapid counter kicks. He wasn't taking much damage, but eventually Hinata would get a clear shot for a knockout blow. It was time for his trump card.

"Hakkeshou: Rokujuu Yonshou."

_'He's actually going to use it?' _Future Hinata commented to her younger self.

_'He hasn't lived through what we have, he doesn't know the risks.' _Hinata felt the need to back up her cousin.

_'I s'pose, do we use it?' _Questioned Future Hinata.

Hinata hesitated before answering, _'Not the final hit.'_

_

* * *

_

Neji watched as the green pattern of energy, visible only through the byakugun, spread out around him. He was once again confident in his victory, he knew that Hinata had not yet begun training in this technique. Therefore he was very surprised when he saw his cousin slip into a stance very similar to his own.

_'She cant be trying too...no the stance is wrong, what is she doing?'_

His answer was quick in coming.

"Akuma Tentou," he heard Hinata whisper. Through his byakugun he saw the impossible. Around Hinata a bright red pattern sprang into life, similar though not identical in shape to his own green pattern. As her pattern clashed with his it disrupted the energy. His pattern flickered and distorted around him. He had to attack _now, _before the lattice collapsed completely.

He dashed forward to deliver his first two strikes.

* * *

FatefulGravy's Jutsu Dictionary

**Goukakyuu no Jutsu (Ninjutsu)**

Fire element. A gigantic ball of fire is breathed out of the ninjas mouth.

Used by: Uchiha Sasuke

**Uzumaki Rasengan Rendan (Ninjutsu/Taijutsu)**

Modified Uzumaki Naruto Rendan, replacing the final falling heel kick with a well placed rasengan.

Used by: Uzumaki Naruto

**Akuma no Jyuken (Special Taijutsu)**

Taijutsu style developed by Future Uzumaki Naruto and Hyuuga Hinata to combat Jyuken. It means Demon's Gentle Fist. (More next chapter)

Used by: Future Hyuuga Hinata, Fusion Hyuuga Hinata

**Akuma Tentou (?)**

Used by: Fusion Hyuuga Hinata

* * *

A/N 

I'm not sure if this is my best chapter yet or my worst. I'l leave it up to you.


	8. Chapter 7: Legacy

Future Memories

A Naruto fanfiction by FatefulGravy

Previously: Hinata finishes the trials and joins her future self in inhabiting the same body. Sasuke's cursed seal activates during the first preliminary match, Naruto defeats Kiba, and Hinata begins her match against her cousin Neji.

* * *

**Chapter 7**

Legacy

Naruto made his way to the arena from the infirmary after checking up on Kiba. Now that he thought about it using the Rasengan Rendan hadn't been one of his better ideas. True he needed to ensure a meeting with the perverted Sannin but Kiba could have been seriously injured. As it was Naruto had restrained the power of the Rasengan just enough, and Kiba would only have superficial injuries when he woke up. Despite this, Naruto couldn't shake a feeling of guilt.

_'I shouldn't have done that' _he thought to himself.

_**'Don't worry about it brat, the one that stinks of dog will be fine.'**_

_'Y'know, this was a private in head chat, that _didn't_ involve you.'_

The Kyuubi snorted, **_'Whatever, but think of it this way: Yes he was hurt, but you are almost guaranteed to get what you want. Is it really that bad?'_**

Naruto considered the foxes words and found that he had to agree. Kiba would recover, and there were greater things at stake than dog boys well being.

He had been so deep in thought that the blond ninja hadn't noticed that he had reached the observation balcony and was quickly approaching his team. Sakura, it appeared, had recovered and returned to watch the rest of the matches. Naruto had to quickly snap out of his thoughts however when Kakashi decided to question him.

"Ah Naruto, mind explaining exactly where you learned Rasengan," asked Kakashi in his usual laid back style, leaving questions in two of the genin's minds about whether he actually cared. Naruto though, was rapidly trying to come up with an excuse for knowing a Jutsu exclusive to two people.

_'Shit, shit, shit I KNEW this was a bad idea, what do I do now, help!'_

_**'Shut up and calm down, repeat after me.'**_

Kakashi frowned suspiciously as Naruto's expression went from worried to sneaky in the blink of an eye.

"I made it myself Kakashi-sensei, its not the actual Rasengan, its just what I imagined it to be like after I heard about it. Did I get it right?"

The lazy Jounin was extremely surprised that Naruto had (apparently) been able to replicate his Sensei's Jutsu after (apparently) just hearing about it, but considering how hard Naruto worked he supposed it was possible.

"Yes Naruto, it was exactly like the Yondaime's."

"Really? Yes! Hey Kakashi-sensei, I'm gonna make my Rasengan even better than his!"

Kakashi's visible eye seemed to lose its happy look, his sensei had given his life to seal the Kyuubi into Naruto, and now Naruto was using his Jutsu. Kakashi didn't hate Naruto the way many of the villagers did, but him using the Yondaime's Jutsu seemed...wrong, somehow.

Naruto noticed his Sensei's smile drop, and wondered if he said something wrong. Then he realized that the Rasengan would be a constant reminder to Kakashi of his teachers death, and every time Naruto used it Kakashi would see the Yondaime.

"Hey, Kakashi-sensei," said Naruto in a quiet, serious tone, "If you want, I could teach you how to do it," he offered.

Kakashi looked at Naruto in surprise, it wasn't everyday that someone offered to teach you their prize Jutsu. "But...why? It's yours."

Naruto smiled, a proper smile, not one of his fake ones, "What better way to remember him?"

Naruto was right, "I...thank you Naruto." Kakashi was obviously grateful to his student.

"But if you teach it to Sasuke-bastard I will kill you." Naruto's foxy grin was back

"Of course Naruto."

Both student and teacher turned their attention back to the fight just in time to hear one thing, "Akuma Tentou!"

Naruto laughed, "Hinata wins, Kakashi-sensei."

* * *

Neji dashed forward to deliver his first two strikes. Hinata was yet to move, still in her stance, and Neji was surprised to see the red pattern of energy shift to keep him in the center, and as he got closer to his cousin the pattern shrunk around him, until it was tight around him. Worried, but still confident of victory he struck.

"Two strikes!"

"Two palms!" was the response from Hinata, her voice sounded like two people speaking in stereo.

Neji's two strikes were each blocked by one of Hinata's palms. He felt the chakra that should have been used to close tenketsu pulled from his hands, and he saw a blue glow collect around his cousins hands. Desperate for a breakthrough he increased his speed.

"Four strikes!"

"Four palms!"

All blocked.

"Eight!"

Blocked again.

"Sixteen!"

"Thirty-two!"

Neji's arms blurred as he made repeated strikes, and Hinata's blurred faster as she moved to intercept them.

"Sixty-four!"

All blocked, Neji hadn't scored a single hit, and Hinata's hands crackled with blue chakra.

"Sixty-fifth palm!" called out Hinata.

Neji's eyes widened as the glowing blue palm struck him in the stomach, a blue explosion of chakra, visible even to those without byakugun, burst from his back and slammed in to the wall behind him, surrounding him and his cousin in dust.

As the cloud cleared the gathered ninja saw the Hyuuga prodigy on his knees, coughing up blood. Hinata stood a few paces away from him, one hand still glowing with gathered chakra.

"The sixty-sixth palm would kill you Neji," Hinata explained.

Neji coughed, and tried and failed to get to his feet, "How?" he gasped.

Hinata slammed her left palm into the ground, dispelling the chakra and leaving a rather large crack in the floor. "The Akuma Tentou," she explained, "collects the chakra you would use to close my tenketsu around my hands when I blocked your strikes. All of that chakra, along with some of my own, is returned with the sixty-fifth and sixty-sixth palms. The first is aimed for your stomach and aims to push the majority of chakra out of your body. The second would be aimed at your head and would kill you."

"This...is not a Hyu...uga technique," Neji gasped out.

"No, this is the basis for Akuma no Jyuken, which was developed by me and Naruto-sama to counter Jyuken."

"Naruto...sama?"

"Um...I mean...er...Naruto-kun," Hinata needn't have bothered however, Neji had passed out.

"Winner, Hyuuga Hinata," announced the referee.

* * *

Kakashi, Sasuke and Sakura all looked at Naruto in disbelief, first the Rasengan, now this. Naruto himself had a rather worried face as he glanced at the trio of people staring at him.

"What?" he asked.

"She said you helped develop that move dobe," said Sasuke, "why have you been holding back on us?"

In the arena the match between Lee and Gaara was beginning.

"Um, I cant actually _do _the Akuma Tentou, I just helped Hinata design it." That was technically true, Naruto's way around the Hakkeshou: Rokujuu Yonshou was to get hit by it, then get up and hit the offending Hyuuga very hard, in the face. "What I can do is the Akuma no Jyuken style, which uses the Akuma Tentou as a base."

"It absorbs chakra powered strikes and redirects the chakra back and the opponent," guessed Kakashi.

Lee had dropped his weights and was now attacking Gaara full force.

"Yeah, you really are a genius aren't you? Anyway its only useful against Hyuugas, and possibly Tsunade of the Sannin, if her strength comes from chakra, but I don't know."

Down in the arena, Lee had opened the gates.

Kakashi was perplexed. His student, the _dead last _of the academy, had developed a fighting style for use _specifically _against Hyuugas. Not only was that unusual it was down right stupid, no one made a fighting style for fighting just one type of enemy.

"Naruto, why did you develop a style _just _for use against Hyuugas?" he asked.

Meanwhile, Gaara's sand had just crushed Lee's limbs, before being dispelled by Gai.

Naruto _really _didn't want to have to answer that question right now, it would lead to other, harder questions involving the future, and was looking for a means of escape. Seeing the final match end he decided that the best way out was to...run for it.

"Well...hey look last match is finished I guess I'll see you guys at the finals in a months time see ya!" he blurted out before dashing for the door.

Too shocked by his students outburst to follow Kakashi could only think one thing, _'How did he know about the month gap? Hey he didn't get a number for the draw, sigh, guess I'll have to do it for him.'_

_

* * *

_

Naruto woke up the next morning, glad to be in his own bed. He was also glad that he had a month to train. Though he had the Ninjutsu knowledge, the chakra reserves and the chakra control to pull off high level Ninjutsu he still had the speed and physical strength of a genin. A very good genin, but a genin nonetheless. He also had to find Jiraiya, and to do that he needed Kakashi to _not_ be teaching him.

_'If I was Kakashi-sensei where would I be now?' _

Naruto decided to head off to the book store, confident he would be able to find the perverted Jounin in the 'adult' section. However, before he could leave he was interrupted by the Kyuubi.

_**'You should go to the hospital brat.'**_

_'Hospital? Why should I go there?'_

_**'Sigh, think carefully brat, had the musky one had that cursed seal, um, sealed, when you did a runner from the second stage.'**_

_'No, but I'm sure Kakashi-sensei would have done that straight after.'_

_**'Exactly, so where would...'**_

_'Yeah, I get it, I get it. To the hospital!'_

Naruto quickly jumped out of bed and started gathering his things while continuing his conversation with Kyuubi.

_'Your still calling Sasuke 'musky one', haven't you worked out what he actually smells like yet?'_

Kunai, check.

_**'I'm not sure because I haven't spent a lot of time around them, but I think he smells of weasel.'**_

Shuriken, check.

_'Weasel?'_

Trousers, check.

**'Yes, rather ironic I know.'**

Jacket, no check, damn it.

_'I miss my jacket. Yeah it is ironic, and I don't think we should tell Sasuke.'_

_**'He may become angry if he finds out he smells of his brother.'**_

Naruto snorted, and left his apartment, heading towards the hospital.

* * *

In said building Kakashi was getting ready to leave for a month of training with Sasuke. He felt guilty for leaving Naruto, especially after his offer to teach him Rasengan, but from what he had seen Naruto was chuunin level already, and didn't need any help. Sasuke on the other hand needed help controlling the cursed seal, and Kakashi had said he would teach him Chidori. Although by 'teach' he really meant 'copy with sharingan'.

Kakashi and Sasuke were just reaching the front door when they were intercepted by the pint sized ninja Naruto.

"Kakashi-sensei! Good I found you..."

"I'm sorry Naruto I cant train you for the finals," Kakashi interrupted, thinking he new the reason why Naruto was there.

"Huh?" Naruto exclaimed, "Oh, don't worry about that Kakashi-sensei I made my own arrangements, I came here to give you this." Naruto pulled a pair of balloons out from behind his back and through a pink one at his sensei. Kakashi, with finely honed reflexes, plucked the balloon out of the air easily.

"Is this some kind of prank Naruto?" Kakashi asked, gazing suspiciously at the remaining balloon.

"What? No Kakashi-sensei watch." Naruto held his balloon out infront of him in the palm of his hand. Suddenly, the balloon became all lumpy before exploding and soaking the surrounding area. Turned out the balloons were full of water.

"First stage of the Rasengan Kakashi-sensei, burst the balloon with just your chakra, see you when you get back!"

Kakashi was left staring after his student, while holding a pink water balloon in the palm of his hand. _'Damn, forget to tell him who he was drawn against, oh well.'_

_

* * *

_

As this was going on the Third Hokage was deep in conversation with one of his students. Jiraiya had recently returned from a 'research' trip, and the old man had a favor to ask.

* * *

Hinata had impressed herself with her ability to slip away unnoticed. She had managed to avoid her father the previous evening, but had heard from the servants around the compound that her father was _eager _to speak with her about her victory over Neji. Honestly, she would rather _not _talk to her remaining parent, he could get so...finicky over such little things.

What had surprised her most was that her younger sister, Hanabi, hadn't even battered an eyelid after finding out she had defeated her cousin. Hinata had come to the conclusion that her sister hadn't begun to see her as weak until _after _the chuunin exam. Perhaps, this time, she wouldn't end up killing her little sister.

Right now, however, Hinata was en route to the hot springs. According to Naruto, he had met the Perverted Sannin Jiraiya there on this day. Therefore, Hinata had to be there too. If they were going to get him to believe their story it would take both of them.

Hinata arrived at the springs to find Naruto waiting for her. He was leaning against a fence in his orange trousers and black T-shirt with a white spiral on the stomach. Seeing her he gestured for her to keep quite and pointed to the back of the bath house.

Together, they crept around the back, and came across a most disturbing sight. There, looking through a hole in the wall, stood Jiraiya, pervert of the legendary three.

Naruto couldn't resist, performing his patented sexy no jutsu, (with clothes, Hinata was around after all) hey screamed out, "Help! A pervert!" First there was silence, then the ground started to shake, and suddenly out of nowhere a crowd of women descended upon the unlucky hermit, who disappeared in a cloud of dust, dirt and curses.

Several minutes later a battered and bruised Sannin pulled himself off the ground and glared at the duo. "Brats, you ruined my research."

"You call this research ero-sennin, I call it being a pervert."

"Why you brat, do you know who I am! I am the..."

"Great toad hermit Jiraiya, legendary super-pervert and author of Icha-Icha Paradise, yes I know," Naruto grinned, it was good to be arguing with ero-sennin again, he had missed it. Even if technically this was the first time he'd done it.

"This is Hyuuga Hinata and I'm Uzumaki Naruto, we need your help."

"Uzumaki Naruto hey, Sarutobi-sensei told me about you," said Jiraiya, "Apparently you have mastered the Rasengan."

"Old man Hokage said that..." WHACK "Hey Hinata-chan what was that for?"

"You should show respect to the Hokage Naruto-sama, we never called you anything like that."

"I wasn't an old man."

"Nor were you Hokage."

"I would have been if..."

"Hey!" Jiraiya interrupted, "What are you two on about?"

Naruto looked at Hinata, Hinata looked at Naruto. They both nodded.

"Jiraiya-sama," Hinata began, "While Naruto-sama ("I wish you'd stop that." "Shut up."), has convinced his team that he developed the Rasengan on his own after hearing of the technique, the truth is that you taught it too him."

"I'm _pretty_ sure I didn't," the Sannin responded.

"You haven't...yet," said Naruto, "You know all about the Kyuubi right, ero-sennin?"

Jiraiya was rather confused at the sudden change of direction, "Er...yeah, sort of. Should you really be saying that with Hyuuga-chan around."

"Hinata-chan has known about foxy-tenshi for years."

**_'I'll get you for that.'_**

_'Whatever.'_

"Anyway," Naruto continued, "apparently demons have the ability to send information back through time, and Kyuubi sent mine and Hinata-chan's memories of the future back to us."

Jiraiya blinked, then pinched himself. Nope, there were still there, _Guess it wasn't a dream. _"Let's assume for a second that I believe you, why would Kyuubi send memories to now and not to before it was sealed," he asked.

Hinata looked at Naruto, as if had _all _the answers.

"Um...just a sec."

_'Foxy!'_

_**'What brat?'**_

_'Can you answer his question?'_

_**'What question?'**_

Naruto mentally glared at the stupid fox. _'Don't give me that, I know you were listening.'_

_**'I don't know, you did call me Foxy-tenshi.'**_

_'FOX!'_

_**'Oh all right, because I'm sealed in you I can only send memories back to myself when I'm sealed, not before, happy?'**_

_'Yes, was that so hard foxy-tenshi?'_

_**'Leave, now.'**_

Naruto snickered at the pissed off demon before returning to the real world. "He says that he cant send memories back to before he was sealed, I suppose the seal interferes in some way."

"Okay," the super-pervert continued, "again, assuming I believe you why did you get your memories sent back."

"Thats easy," Naruto exclaimed, "I died."

Hinata sighed at his over simplified explanation. "Jiraiya-sama, for us to explain we would have to tell you about the destruction of everything we believed in twelve years in the future."

Jiraiya blinked and pinched himself again. Nope, still not dreaming. "This is going to take a while right?" he asked.

"Probably," said Naruto, "it all started with the end of Akatsuki..."

"You know of Akatsuki!" Jiraiya butted in.

"Yes, like we said," Naruto tapped the side of his head, "future memories. If we don't mind can we continue the story."

"Um...yes of course, whose going to tell it?"

"We both will," said Hinata, "That will give you a better overall picture."

"Go on then."

* * *

15th May

Location: The Valley of the End

Naruto's age: Twenty-four

* * *

This was were it had all begun, and if Naruto had his way, this was were it would all end. This was were Sasuke had left them, so it was only fitting that this was were he returned as well. It had only been a few days earlier that Konoha had received word that Orochimaru was dead, killed by his own apprentice. Sasuke had manage to avoid the Snakes body switch Jutsu for years until he finally became strong enough to kill the traitor Sannin. With one of Konoha's problems dealt with, and the other pretty much out of commission, Naruto, now a Special Jounin, had devised a plan to bring Sasuke back to Konoha. A plan centered around his brother, Uchiha Itachi, the only survivor of Akatsuki.

Naruto planned to draw the brothers together at the Valley of the End by releasing enough of Kyuubi's chakra for them to both feel. Itachi would come to try and capture the last of the Jinchuriki, Sasuke would come because he knew his brother would. Naruto hoped, that by bringing the two together to fight, Sasuke would kill Itachi and then finally return home. The plan had been perfect, nearly.

Sasuke had arrived first, and demanded Naruto and Sakura, who was his support on this mission, tell him what they were doing. Neither had responded, though Naruto had to hold his pink haired teammate back from running to Sasuke, and seconds later Itachi appeared. His quick mind taking in the situation instantly.

"I see Naruto-kun," he said in his calm, infinitely annoying voice, "You have brought us all together for one final confrontation."

"I have no intention of fighting either of you today Chi-chan, I've simply brought you and Sasuke-bastard together so you can end this stupid family feud."

"_Family feud!" _Sasuke bellowed, "he slaughtered my entire clan."

Naruto gave his former teammate a look that said, 'I know that you idiot.'

"Can you just hurry up and kill him so we can all go home?"

Sasuke growled and focused his attention on his brother, Sharingan spinning. Itachi just turned his back.

"I didn't come here to play with my foolish little brother," he stated calmly, "he is of no interest to me." He moved to leave only to be stopped in his tracks by Naruto, red chakra blazing around him.

"I think not," he growled, "this ends here."

"Whether you like it or not," said Sasuke from behind his brother, "this time, its a battle to the end."

Itachi sighed, as if the whole thing were little more than a nuisance. "Very well," he said, activating his own sharingan, "if this is what you want, come Sasuke!"

The two brothers dashed at each other. One in the black of an Akatsuki robe, the other in the white uniform of a sound ninja. Sasuke sent a flurry of kicks at Itachi's head, the older brother simply jumped back and swatted the kicks away with the back of his hand. Sasuke attacked again with some of Rock Lee's taijutsu, but Itachi avoided each blow by leaning back, or to the side, or by hopping over the blow. Sasuke couldn't move fast enough to land a blow. A decade of training and he still couldn't harm Itachi.

Enraged, Sasuke charged the Chidori, and thrust it at the object of his hate. Easily seeing the attack coming, Itachi jumped up, and for a second balanced on one foot upon Sasuke's outstretched arm, before spinning in a crushing kick that sent his younger brother sprawling.

"You still lack enough hate, little brother," Itachi said as Sasuke pulled himself to his feet.

"Don't say that," Sasuke spa out, "I hate you more than anything!" He charged again, cocking his fist back to strike. Itachi intercepted the incoming blow and swept Sasuke's feet from under him.

"_Why _do you hate me?"

Itachi delivered a series of open handed blows to his brothers mid section.

"Is it because I hurt you?"

He knocked Sasuke's hands up with a punch, then nailed him with a knee in the stomach.

"Is it because I'm _better _than you?"

The older brother picked up the younger by the throat and flung him into the cliff face.

"Or is it because I took away those precious to you?"

Itachi stood over the beaten form of his sibling, watching as he struggled to rise. Sasuke was bloodied and bruised, his clothing torn, but his Sharingan still blazed red with determination.

"All these reasons to hate me," Itachi continued, "and yet you still can not gather enough hate to defeat me."

"All those reasons," Sasuke snarled out as he pushed himself to his knees, "I hate you for all of them." He lifted his head and stared into his brothers eyes, Sharingan meeting Sharingan. "But I hate you more than any of them," he pushed himself to his feet, eyes still locked with Itachi's, "because you left me behind."

Itachi's eyes widened, his face showing the first sign of surprise in years. Of all the reasons he had for his little brother to hate him he had not expected that one.

"I loved you," Sasuke continued, "I damn well idolized you, you were everything to me. Father's approval, the clans expectations, none of it meant more to me than you did. They could praise me and say how great I would become but training with you made of that worthless. That's why I hate you, you showed me exactly what I wanted to be then walked away and left me behind."

Sasuke let his Sharingan fade away, and relaxed his posture. "But most of all I hate you, because given the chance, I would have followed you anywhere, at any time, if only you had asked."

Itachi looked at his brother in a new light, the arrogance, the pride he had expected had gone. In its place, was acceptance. Yes, he hated Itachi and yes, given the opportunity he would kill him. But he wasn't too wrapped up in himself to admit why.

Itachi smiled a small smile, "You are still foolish, little brother."

"So are you, _big_ brother," Sasuke mocked, "I can't let you live."

"And I can't let you kill me."

"I guess we go again then," said Sasuke, his Sharingan reactivating.

"I s'pose."

Sasuke grinned and went through the hand seals for Chidori, Itachi did the same. Sasuke raised an eyebrow, "Copying much?"

"Just following the family traditions."

Both Chidori's reached full power, and both Naruto and Sakura gasped as they realized what would happen. Each of the assignation jutsu had been charged on the left arm, neither brother would be able to block.

"Sasuke!"

"Stop Sasuke-kun!"

Neither Uchiha seemed to hear as they ran towards each other. They crashed together amidst an electrical storm chakra, the bolts from two Chidori's burnt the surrounding rock and boiled the water. Energy surrounded the impact point and the chirping of two thousand birds rose to a crescendo.

And then it was gone. The rocks glowed red, and steam rose from the water, and at the center of it all stood Sasuke with his arm through his brother, and his brothers arm through him.

Itachi distantly heard a scream from the pink haired girl as he looked at the arm running through him. It was a shame, he thought, that the Uchiha clan would end this way. But he supposed it was fate that the last survivors would die in battle against each other. He felt sorry for his brother though, his entire life had revolved around Itachi, from beginning to end, and all the years since he left had been leading to this moment.

"I'm sorry," he whispered to Sasuke, whose eyes were closed, "I..."

"I know," Sasuke responded, his eyes opening to reveal a newly evolved pair of Manekyou Sharingan eyes, "I am too."

Itachi and Sasuke both closed their eyes for the last time, their simultaneous thought the each loved the other after all.

* * *

17th May

Location: Konoha Gates

* * *

Naruto and Sakura stood outside the gates to Konoha, each carried a well wrapped bundle.

"Well Sasuke-kun," said Sakura, "You're back."

Later, Naruto stood in Tsunade's office, making his report.

"So both Uchiha's died?" the Hokage asked.

"Yes," Naruto started to walk out, he considered the debriefing over.

"Naruto..." Tsunade called after him.

"I won't let another friend die baa-chan," Naruto interrupted, "It wasn't supposed to happen this way, and I won't let it happen again, I promise."

* * *

18th May

Location: Konoha

* * *

Sasuke's funeral was a small event. Many had cursed him as a traitor, so few gathered to see him go. Only those who appreciated that he had killed Orochimaru, and those who were there at the end attended. The memorial was short, and only Sakura and Naruto remained behind afterward, Naruto to return an old, scratched leaf headband, Sakura to say her final goodbyes.

* * *

31st May

Location: Hokage Tower

* * *

Tsunade stood atop the Hokage Tower, her office for the past twelve years. Below her, gathered infront of the tower stood the majority of the village. Brought together to hear her announcement. Deciding that the time had come Tsunade removed her Hokage hat and, for the first time in many years, let her age hiding genjutsu drop, revealing how old she had become.

"Ladies and Gentlemen of Konoha," she called out to the gathered village, "with the defeat of Orochimaru and Akatsuki we are at peace once again after many long years." he crowd cheered, but Tsunade continued. "As we are now at peace," she said, "and as I result of my increasing age, I have decided to retire as Hokage." The cheering stopped, and the crowd looked on in shock, few had known how old the Hokage really was, she had looked so young. "I would like to thank you for making these years some of the best of my life," Tsunade decided to wrap up her speech, "The next Hokage will be decided on within a week, thank you."

Tsunade turned to leave, the crowd still silent behind her. As she started walking away the applause started, and by the time she reached the stairs, it was thunderous.

* * *

Tsunade had barley reached her office when Naruto burst in, closely followed by Hinata. The blond ninja had spent quite a bit of time with the Hyuuga since her sensei, Kurenai had been killed in battle against the sound. He had convinced Kakashi and, surprisingly, Anko, to help train her. Being around people with such strong personalities had changed the once shy girl, and she now much more confident.

"What can I do for you Naruto," asked the now ex-Hokage.

"Tsunade-baachan you cant quit!" Even at twenty-four years of age Naruto still insisted on his nicknames.

"I was old when I took this job Naruto-kun, I'm even older now."

"But you cant...I..." Naruto trailed off.

"What he means to say Tsunade-sama," Hinata picked up, "Is that he doesn't want you to leave."

Tsunade smiled, despite the respect Naruto had among the younger generation he still lacked it among those older than him. Those old enough to remember the Kyuubi's attack.

"I'm not going anywhere Naruto-kun, besides, I need to get you ready for the Hokage position."

"Thats good baa-chan I was afraid you would go off and gamble...what did you say!"

Tsunade couldn't hold in a laugh, _Trust Naruto to worry about someone so much that he doesn't notice his dream being realized._

"Naruto I have decided to make you the Rokudaime. The village will be told next week."

Naruto stood with his mouth open, before his brain caught up with him and he let out a shout of joy, before grabbing Hinata in a hug and spinning her around. Tsunade raised and eyebrow at that, was something else going on?

"Don't get too carried away Naruto-kun, you have to keep it a secret till next week, the council hasn't agreed yet, but they cant go against my will so they will agree."

"Of course Tsunade-sama," Tsunade blinked in shock, "I'll make sure to keep it a secret. C'mon Hinata-chan lets get ramen to celebrate!"

Tsunade chuckled as the hyper blond soon to be Hokage left her office _He will be a great leader._

_

* * *

_

7th June

Location: Hokage Tower

* * *

The village stood waiting. Waiting to hear who would become its next leader. Gossip was all about, would it be the powerful Hakate Kakashi, son of Konoha's White Fang. Would it be, and most people said it with a shudder, Maito Gai, the lightning fast Taijutsu specialist. Or would it be a young blond ninja, whose dream it had always been to lead the village, and had proved himself to them time and time again.

Tsunade stood upon the tower for her final time as Hokage, addressed the crowd. "Ladies and Gentlemen of Konoha, it is my great pleasure to announce to you, the Sixth Hokage of Konoha, Uzumaki Naruto!"

After a moment of silence the cheering and clapping began. Naruto joined Tsunade atop the tower and gazed out across the celebrating crowd.

"You did it, Naruto-kun. You turned the people's opinion around, every council member agreed to your appointment."

Naruto grinned and looked out at the crowd. They were cheering, happy. They didn't hate him. As he looked out over the crowd, a smile on his face, he noticed one group that was not cheering. This one group, led by a Hyuuga Naruto couldn't identify at this distance, was glaring at him with hate. His grin faltered as he saw them, memories of the abuse he suffered rising to the surface, but he dismissed them. The majority of the crowd supported him, which was more that he had ever wanted. The small group of haters wouldn't be a problem.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, the Rokudaime will be taking up his post at the end of the month."

* * *

FatefulGravy's Jutsu Dictionary

**Akuma no Jyuken (Special Taijutsu)**

Developed to combat Jyuken this style collects the chakra from chakra powered attacks through blocking and returns it all in a single thrust. Extremely damaging, but dangerous to use and only useful against Jyuken.

Used by: Hyuuga Hinata and others.

* * *

A/N 

Well that took ages.

I wanted to have Itachi and Sasuke actually fight cause its dull just to say that they both died and the fight was really hard to do.

Anyway the flashback/foward/explanation to Jiraiya thing will be quite long, probably the whoel of next chap.

Finally thanks for the reviews, the count more than doubled over teh last two chapters.


	9. Chapter 8: Sadness and Sorrow

Future Memories

A Naruto fanfiction by FatefulGravy

Previously: Hinata defeats Neji and the preliminaries end. Naruto shows Kakashi stage one of the Rasengan before he leaves to train Sasuke. Naruto and Hinata meet Jiraiya and begin to explain the future.

* * *

**Chapter 8**

Sadness and Sorrow

Jiraiya sat with a thoughtful look on his face,the two genin showed a great knowledge of thing they shouldn't have know. Itachi's abilities, Orochimaru's plans, Tsunade's habits. Neither Naruto nor Hinata should have known a thing about them, and yet they did. The aging Sannin had come to the conclusion that perhaps, they were possibly telling the truth.

"Is there anything you can tell me," he asked, "That would happen sooner, within the next few days or weeks perhaps, that would prove your story to me."

Hinata spoke up, "We can tell you about..."

"Wait," interrupted Naruto, "let us finish our story first. We came to you because we need you help Jiraiya-sensei, if you don't understand what were trying to do you can help us."

"Go on then, but my request still stands, you hear. Its the only way I can be sure your telling the truth."

"Yeah, yeah ero-sennin."

"Brat!"

* * *

21st June

Location: Konoha Training Grounds

* * *

Naruto pounded his target. It was pissing him off dammit, how dare it just stand there and not make a move! The bastard of a tree didn't even flinch at his blows, no matter how many times he hit the trunk. Naruto was, obviously, not having a good day. In the two weeks, (Two damn weeks!) since he had been announced as Rokudaime he had been subjected to meeting after meeting. What do you intend to do about the academy Naruto-sama? What will be your policy towards missing-nins Naruto-sama? What colour would you like the walls in your office Naruto-sama? If swore if he had to attend one more meeting with council members, retired ninjas or interior designers he was going to flip.

A ninja, one of the assistants in the Hokage tower, appeared in a puff of smoke behind him.

"Oh please no," Naruto whispered to himself.

"Its time for your afternoon appointment Naruto-sama," the assistant said.

Naruto had to stop himself from screaming, "Oh please no."

"The head of the Hyuuga clan has requested your presence Naruto-sama," the assistant continued.

The tree Naruto had been pounding on vanished in a storm of splinters.

* * *

Naruto walked through the door of the Hokage tower and headed towards the Hokage's office, soon to be his. While walking Naruto thought about what Hyuuga Hiashi could possible want to talk to him about. The Hyuuga clan head, also Hinata's father he reminded himself, had been present when Naruto had met with the council. But he hadn't said anything then, and gave no impression of having anything important to say to Naruto. This left the soon to be Hokage somewhat confused about his intentions, he just hoped it wasn't another person trying to get on his 'good side'.

He reached the office and nodded to the ANBU standing guard.

"Hyuuga-sama is already inside, Naruto-sama," the guard reported.

"Thank you," replied Naruto as his opened the door.

Shutting it behind him he saw Tsunade standing behind her desk, but no sign of the Hyuuga.

"Hey baa-chan, where's Hyuuga-san?"

"I'm here Naruto-san." The voice came from behind Tsunade. Tsunade who, Naruto now noticed, was standing oddly. Shoulders slumped, head hanging forward. Feet an inch off the floor.

Hiashi let go of Tsunade's body. It fell like a bag of bones, bouncing off the desk before slumping to the floor. Naruto's feet were rooted to the floor, his eyes stuck on the place where the person he had thought of as a mother now lay.

Slowly, Naruto turned now glowing red eyes upon Hiashi, "You," he growled, "what did you do?"

"Me?" the Hyuuga responded, "I didn't do anything, it was _you _who killed her, Naruto-san." He turned a malicious grin on Naruto, "At least, thats what I'll tell the guards."

Naruto's eyes widened, "They wont believe you," he spat out. He was barley holding in his anger, he could feel the Kyuubi's chakra boiling under his skin. But he knew, that if he even let a whiff of it out, the Hyuuga bastard would have all the evidence he needed to blame Naruto.

"I think they will," Hiashi responded, "All the trust, all the respect you think you've gained. All of it will come crashing down around you once I report this. A demon as Hokage? Preposterous!"

"Why?" Naruto asked, "Why did you do this? What do you have to gain?"

"To gain! With you and her out of the way _I _will become the head of power in Konoha! _I _will make Konoha what it _should _have been!"

"Should have been?" Naruto growled, "What do you mean _should _have been, Konoha is fine how it is now!"

Hiashi laughed, "Fine! You think this is fine! Before Kyuubi, before _you _attacked, Konoha was the most powerful Ninja Village. But because of _your _actions we were brought to our knees. I will make Konoha powerful again, I will crush our enemies, I will rule the world!

In that second, Naruto could see all that he had worked for slipping away from him. Tsunade lay dead, Hiashi would do anything to stop him become Hokage, he would be blamed, and Hiashi would be free to carry out his plan. In that second, Naruto let it slip. For just a second, demonic chakra surrounded him. Just a small amount, just for a second, but it would be enough for the guards outside to feel. Hiashi smirked, "Thank you Naruto-san, I'll go inform the guards."

Hiashi walked past Naruto, who was still rooted to the spot, towards the door. Naruto only had seconds to see his choices. He could stay, be captured and probably executed for a crime he didn't commit. He could run, become a missing-nin and never set foot in Konoha again. Or he could do something to clear his name.

Quickly he dashed to Tsunade's body, "I'm sorry Baa-chan," he whispered, before he picked her up and dashed out the window. He distantly heard shouts of, "Stop!" and "The demons escaping!" behind him. But he didn't stop, he ran.

* * *

22nd June

Location: Atop the Hokage Tower

* * *

Hinata looked around at those who had gathered. Every Konoha ninja not on a mission had been ordered to report to the top of the Hokage Tower for an announcement of great importance. She was concerned though, wherever she looked she was unable to find Naruto. She hoped that nothing had happened to him, that this announcement had nothing to do with him.

Hinata looked to the front of the gathering, an old man, Hinata recognized him as a council member, was beckoning for quiet. Once the crowd was silent he began to speak.

"Ninja of Konoha," he began, "yesterday Tsunade, last of the Sannin, was murdered," the gathered Ninja let out a collective gasp, this was highly unexpected. "It is believed," the council member continued, "That the killer was one Uzumaki Naruto."

The gathered ninja were quiet again. Hinata was deeply shocked, she couldn't believe that Naruto would do something like that.

_'Like hell,' _she thought, _'Naruto-kun would never hurt someone he loved.'_

Hinata's faith in Naruto was not however shared by many others.

"I knew it!" one cried out.

"We should never of trusted the demon!" shouted another.

"Silence!" The shout came, surprisingly, from her father. Hyuuga Hiashi was stood next to the council member. "Hyuuga-sama was present at the scene," the council member said, "he would like to tell you what he saw." He gestured for Hiashi to begin.

"Thank you," he started, "I was just entering a meeting I had arranged with Uzumaki-san when I saw him, surrounded in red demonic chakra, standing over the body of Tsunade-sama. Naturally I rushed to get the guards and as I returned I saw him dash out of the window with her body."

The roars for blood from the crowd increased. "However!" Hiashi shouted, "However I do not believe Naruto is to blame. I believe that Tsunade-sama was killed by the Kyuubi. As you all know Naruto kept the Kyuubi contained for many years. Heroically keeping us safe from its wrath with nothing but his own will power." The crowd became quiet at this, remembering just what Naruto had been through for them. Hinata however, narrowed her eyes at the man she called father. He had never before shown any respect for Naruto, so why now?

"It is my belief," Hiashi continued, "That despite his best efforts Naruto was defeated by the Kyuubi, and is now being controlled. That is why, my comrades, that we must hunt down and put to death, the one once known as Uzumaki Naruto. It is what he would want us to do."

As the crowd began to move off on its mission Hinata stared long and hard at her father, who had a faint smile on his lips.

_'What are you up to, Father?'_

_

* * *

_

Naruto was running through a wooded area of Konoha, tears in his eyes, but he would not flee. If he left Konoha he would never clear his name, he would go down in history as a traitor. He still carried Tsunade's body, but it was hindering him, he could feel a pursuer closing in on him. He couldn't move fast enough to escape with Tsunade, and he couldn't fight on the run. On the other hand he couldn't kill a Konoha ninja, that would doom him. His only chance was that the pursuit could be convinced he was innocent.

He stopped in a clearing, and gently set Tsunade's body down. It didn't take long for his pursuer to catch up, and Naruto was pleasantly surprised at who it was.

"Neji," he said, "I really need your help."

Said Hyuuga looked at Naruto with a raised eyebrow, the report that Kyuubi was in control was obviously false, there was no red chakra present, and Naruto appeared to be himself. The body of Tsunade was lying nearby however.

"Naruto," he asked, "did you kill Tsunade-sama."

Naruto grew annoyed, "No way!" he shouted, "It was that bastard Hiashi, then he blamed me for it!"

Neji considered his words, "How can I believe you?"

"Look at her with your Byakugan," Naruto chocked out, "Tell be how she was killed."

Neji did so, activating his bloodline limit he studied Tsunade's now empty chakra pathways. All seemed normal, except for several at the back of her head.

"She was killed," he explained, "by a Jyuken strike to the back of the head."

Naruto sighed, "Exactly," he said sadly, "its impossible for me to do that, Hiashi had already killed her when I arrived."

Neji knelt down considering what to do. Hiashi had killed Tsunade, it would be difficult to prove though, he had the majority of the villages Ninja behind him, and had persuaded them that Kyuubi was in control of Naruto. Worse, with all the ninja behind him he could do practically what he wanted. But what were his goals? Why would he kill Tsunade and frame Naruto?

"Why is he doing this?" Neji asked Naruto.

"When I was there," Naruto explained, "He was talking about restoring Konoha to what it was, back before the Kyuubi attack, he said something about ruling the world."

"Ruling the world?" Neji questioned, "Is he crazy?"

Naruto snorted, "Not from his point of view, I think he intends to take Konoha to war against the other Ninja villages, he intends to control all the worlds ninja."

Neji's eyes widened, "In a war that size, there would be hundreds of thousands killed. We would have to fight each village one after the other, theres no way its possible."

"The tailed demons still exist, if he could gather them it would be possible, even without Kyuubi," said Naruto.

"I don't believe that is what he will do, Akatsuki hid the demons they obtained well."

"Whatever he intends to do," said Naruto, "It wont be good for Konoha, he has to be stopped. And I need somewhere to hide."

Neji considered their options, "Many ninja are searching for you. To think, just two weeks ago the village held you in the highest esteem, now many hate you as much as when you were younger."

"All of them?" Naruto questioned with a hint of fear.

Neji gave Naruto a small smile, "Hardly, you still have many supporters."

Naruto snorted and turned towards Tsunade's body, "What am I going to do now?"

"Head for the tunnels in the Hokage cliffs," Neji suggested, "you can stay hidden for days in there."

Naruto nodded at the suggestion, "What about you?" he asked.

"I'll report this area clear, and then I'll talk about this to people we can trust."

"Who, and why?"

Neji closed his eyes and considered what he was about to do. Turn as many people as possible against Hiashi, to try and stop him doing something that would results in many deaths.

"The eleven of us, just for now. We would, in effect, be setting up a resistance against Hiashi. Depending on what he does, we may have to fight against him."

"A resistance?" Naruto questioned, "It's risky, but what he is doing will seriously hurt Konoha, we have to stop him."

* * *

1st July

* * *

It had been a week since he and Neji had parted ways. Naruto had buried Tsunade it that clearing, digging the unmarked grave had been one of the saddest moments of Naruto's life. He knew that there would be no proper funeral, no spot on the Memorial stone for his Baa-chan, and he had cried as he dug.

He cried now as he sat, tired, hungry and depressed within the extensive tunnel network behind the Hokage monument. He had barley slept through fear of discovery, and had taken no food with him when he ran. It had been years since he had last cried, and now he was unable to stop. His only comfort was, ironically, the Kyuubi. The great fox and been a strong but silence presence within Naruto's mind, giving him the ability to survive. Without the demons chakra and support, Naruto feared what he may have done.

Now he had nothing to do but wait. He supposed it was overly optimistic to expect Neji to come through, he imagined that the Hyuuga had given up on Naruto and gone his own way. He believed that...

"Naruto," Neji whispered, shaking Naruto's shoulders.

"Neji," he said back, "I didn't think you would come."

"Of course were here Naruto-baka."

_Sakura-chan?_

"We brought ya food."

_Chouji?_

"NARUTO-KUN! WE WILL NOT LET YOUR FIRES OF YOUTH BURN OUT!"

_Lee-kun?_

"Shut up idiot everyone will hear you."

"Jeez this is troublesome."

"Everything is troublesome to you."

_Ten-Ten, Shikamaru, Ino?_

"Guys?" Naruto opened his watery eyes to see his friends around him, "Thank you," he whispered.

"Hinata, Kiba and Shino couldn't make it," Sakura explained, "There the heirs to their clans, and the clans are with Hiashi at the moment."

"At the moment?" Naruto asked.

"Lots has happened in the past week," said Shikamaru, "Hiashi gathered enough support to be declared Interim Hokage by the council, but then they were found dead the next morning. He placed the blame on you, saying that the demon fox was still at large in Konoha, but the clans are suspicious and may withdraw their support for him," he continued to explain, "Kiba and Shino may be able to escape their clans then."

"And Hinata-chan?" Naruto asked.

"Hiashi has a close eye on her," Neji answered, "She says she will support you however she can, but she's practically imprisoned in the Hyuuga compound."

Naruto sighed. It came down to just the eight of them against a crazy clan head with most of a village behind him. Some resistance.

"We're not going to be able to do much good are we," he said.

"More than you may think," Sakura replied, "Hiashi only really has support from the Hyuuga main house and some of the ninja who lost most to the Kyuubi, the majority see that he was playing them for fools. Unfortunately any that try and speak out are quickly taken down and Hiashi spreads rumors about them being under Kyuubi's influence."

"Its the beginning's of a civil war down their," Neji picked up, "Ninja that were away on missions a week ago are confused and tend to fall in with Hiashi. The clans support him officially but will neither move for or against him. People that know you claim that you didn't kill Tsunade and openly distrust Hiashi but they don't do anything against him either, and the Hyuuga Branch house is at your service."

"At _my _service," Naruto asked, confused.

"Well we are a resistance against Hiashi, so we figured we needed a leader," said Shikamaru.

"And," Sakura continued, "we all voted for you."

"So that puts you in charge," Neji finished off, "Naruto-sama."

* * *

3rd July

Location: Konoha Town Center

* * *

Hiashi stood on a podium, the Hyuuga Main house stood behind him, an honor guard fifty strong. Among them, Hinata silently developed her plans for escape. She had come to hate her father, she couldn't stand to me around the lying, manipulative man. He kept her confined to her room except when she was brought out as a show of strength for situations such as these.

She hated it, but currently escape was impossible. Her father had caught wind of a group assembling to oppose him, and he expected Hinata to run off and join. Given the chance she would, she wouldn't even look back, but her guard was to heavy at the moment.

She hated it because today, Hiashi would declare himself Hokage. He would steal Naruto's dream, and she hated him for it.

* * *

In the tunnels, Naruto was consulting Shikamaru. While Naruto was in charge overall, tactics depended on Shikamaru, there was no one better equipped.

"It's getting busy back here," Naruto stated. Indeed it was filling up in the tunnels. Several ninja had managed to reach the resistance, many guided by Naruto' s friends. Konohamaru and his team had arrived the day before, and several members of the Branch family had arrived earlier that day, while the Main house stood guard in the town.

"Sure is," Shikamaru confirmed, "and thats going to become bit troublesome."

Naruto raised an eyebrow, "How so?"

"Several reasons," he began to tick them off with his fingers, "One, we can't defend this position, there are too many ways in and out. Two, we can't possibly keep everyone fed. Three, while hiding back here we are having _no _influence on the people in the village. And four, its starting to smell."

Naruto sniffed the air, then screwed up his face in an expression of disgust.

"So it does, I hadn't noticed."

Shikamaru didn't bother to reply.

"Okay, what should we do?"

Shikamaru took a second to begin, "Its troublesome, but we need to gain a stronghold within the actual village. A position that will give us access to supplies, but one that we can still defend. Some sort of tower with few entrances would be best."

"A tower hey?" Naruto responded, "I have the perfect idea."

* * *

1st August

Location: Hyuuga Compound, early morning.

Hinata crouched against the wall outside her Fathers room. She had planned to escape early today, in all fairness, she should have been long gone by now, but her father had been woken with an urgent message and Hinata wanted to know what it was all about.

That left her where she was now, ear pressed against her Fathers door, holding her breath.

"...attack sometime today," she heard a male voice speak.

"At what location," that was the whispered voice of her father.

"...know...supplies," the other male was whispering too now, making it hard to hear what was said.

"...secure...increase," Hiashi whispered. Hinata heard footsteps approach her position, and slid into the shadows as the door slid open. She didn't dare breath or move as her father and the man with him walked past her position. Once they were gone she went over what little she had heard. Her father was expecting an attack sometime today. The other man had said something about supplies which meant it was probably a resistance attack. He had also said that they knew about the attack, and her father had said something about increasing security. If what she heard was true, she would need to escape now, and get a warning to the resistance. She stealthily slid away.

A few minutes later, Hinata crept towards the front gate, carrying nothing but the few possessions she had managed to scrape together. This was her chance, a chance to escape.

"So your leaving?"

She gasped and spun round, dropping into a combat stance. Her father stood behind her, he had found her, he would force her to stay.

"Your going to join them, I suppose I should have foreseen this." He turned his back on her and walked back towards the mansion. What was going on? Was he letting her leave?

"Just stay out of our way, your not strong enough to make a difference anyhow." He continued to walk away, leaving Hinata with a path to freedom. She took one last suspicious glance at her father's retreating form, before turning back to her escape. Only to run straight into Hanabi, her younger sister.

"I'm not as forgiving as Father, Hinata," the younger girl stated, "I will not let a traitor live."

Hinata glared, and pushed her way past the teen, "Out of the way Hanabi-chan, you _can't _stop me."

Hanabi executed a perfect backflip, putting her between Hinata and escape once again. "I was always stronger than you!" she shouted, and lunged at Hinata, who grabbed her arm, twisted, and kicked her to the ground.

"Last chance, Hanabi-chan," said Hinata as her sister pulled herself to her feet, "I wont hesitate to kill you."

Hanabi activated her Byakugan and glared out the older sister, "I'm not going to let you leave the clan to join up with a demon and his brainwashed followers! I will stop you!"

"You are going to die little sister, and I am going to kill you."

"As if, traitor. You are within the field of my divination, Hakkeshou: Rokujuu Yonshou." As the younger Hyuuga dashed forward to attack the older slid into an unfamiliar stance.

"Foolish move little sister, Akuma Tentou!"

Hanabi's eyes widened as every one of her strikes was blocked. As the last one failed to impact she jumped back to see Hinata lunging at her, hands crackling with blue chakra.

"Sixty-fifth palm!" the chakra enhanced counter impacting Hanabi's stomach, a blue wave of chakra was expelled from her back.

Hanabi fell to her knees gasping for air. "Foolish little sister," said Hinata, "You fail to understand friendship, love. For you, there is only the clan, you simply do as you are _told_ to do. You have no _free will_ and you seek to take mine from _me_. You will die."

Hinata looked down at her sister, one hand still crackling blue. She saw Hanabi look up at her with pleading eyes, no matter how cold hearted her younger sister was, she could not face death without fear.

"Sixty-sixth palm," the call was whispered, the effect anti-climatic. A simple touch to the forehead and the blue glow around Hinata's hand vanished, along with the life in Hanabi's eyes. A second later an empty shell once known as Hyuuga Hanabi crumpled to the ground. Hinata stepped over it and made her escape. Her eyes were dry, and she didn't look back.

* * *

FatefulGravy's Jutsu Dictionary

**Akuma Tentou Sixty-sixth Palm **

Collected chakra is forced directly into the victims brain, ceasing all brain functions in the blink of an eye.

Used by: Hyuuga Hinata

* * *

A/N

A shorter chapter before the flashforward's finale.

I kinda messed up last chapter, since the memories are Naruto's and Hinata's they should all be written from their point of veiw, and the Sasuke fight wasn't, oops.

Also this is the second chapter in a row in which siblings fight each other, odd. And I hated killing Tsunade and Hanabi, oh well.

Thanks for all the reviews!


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